Memphis police conduct pre-Halloween checks of registered sex offenders, an operation they have run for the past decade.
FOX13 Memphis reported about 40 arrests in the operation.
Offenders must follow individual rules and limitations prescribed under state statute, and the ride-along showed how granular the checks get. MPD Officer B. Bowels told WREG that “if they don’t have one of those items, then they’re going to jail.”
A Decade of Operation Bluff City Shield
The sweep is not new. The same outlet reports that for the past decade, Memphis police have conducted Operation Bluff City Shield days before Halloween. MPD says registered sex offenders are not allowed to have their porch lights on or dress up in costumes.
The scale of the local registry is considerable, too. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation says there are more than 2,000 registered sex offenders in Shelby County, as noted in the WREG report. Offenders can be located through the Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas state registry websites.
How This Year Compares With 2023
Earlier checks were smaller in their results. In 2023, according to Local Memphis, officers made contact with 207 offenders over four days with nine MPD officers assigned. They found violations involving 34 offenders, made two arrests and issued 28 warrants.
The 2023 checks were handled by MPD's Sex Offender Registry and Internet Crimes Against Children units.
State Supervision Adds Another Layer
Memphis police are not the only ones watching. The Tennessee Department of Correction plans to launch Operation Blackout on Halloween night, which WSMV reports will add “an additional layer of supervision for sex offenders whose convictions involved minors.” The station says Tennessee has more than 26,000 registered sex offenders, 4,400 of them under active TDOC supervision.
According to WSMV, TDOC probation-parole officers will be out making sure the Halloween rules are followed. Those restrictions bar covered offenders from answering the door to trick-or-treaters, giving children treats, wearing costumes or decorations, attending Halloween parties, and visiting seasonal activities where children are present. Separately, MPD said it would release information on its operation’s success rate by the end of the week.
