Crime prevention solutions rise as priority in People's Convention

In the first meet-and-greet for the 2023 iteration of the Memphis People's Convention, candidates had but a few minutes to name top priorities they said would shape their would-be administrations as Memphis mayor.

Candidates Paul Young, Van Turner, J.W. Gibson, and James Harvey delivered micro-pitches to a crowd of roughly 40 people Saturday at LeMoyne-Owen College in the first of several events. Their individual approaches to crime prevention quickly became a top talking point in preceding conversations with voters.

The field of candidates vying to replace term-limited Mayor Jim Strickland numbers 11; the four candidates represent less than half of the total number of contenders for mayor. The Rev. Earle J. Fisher said most of the other candidates have been in conversation with organizers from #UPTheVote901 and plan to participate in future events.

Two mayoral candidates – Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner and former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton – have not indicated an interest in participating in future People's Convention events, Fisher said.

In their remarks to voters and afterwards to The Commercial Appeal, candidates overlapped in their individual visions for how Memphis' crime rates could be reduced. And all described a need for more resources and connectedness in communities harmed by an acute lack of economic investment and high crime rates that are intrinsically linked with poverty.

Often, candidates described the connection between crime and isolated communities.

"We gotta treat the problem. We have about 2,000 officers, we need 500 more," said Turner, president of the NAACP Memphis branch and a former county commissioner. "We need to make sure our pay is competitive, our pensions are competitive, but outside of that, I think we need to open up our community centers and make them true community centers," Turner said. "Every community center we have, it needs to be open 24/7."

Harvey, a human resource manager at FedEx and former county commissioner, said prioritizing earlier intervention for at-risk youth would be a key investment in lowering Memphis' crime rate in years to come.

Residents in vulnerable communities, he said, would benefit greatly from having a more integrated, community-based relationship with the Memphis Police Department.

"The community policing faction is very important, people need a nucleus they can go to, instead of having to head downtown or out of their neighborhoods to report a crime or get help," Harvey said.

Subsequent People's Convention events will have more singular focuses as candidates will be invited to share their ideas on top priorities identified through #UpTheVote901 canvassing: Memphis city budget, education, affordable housing, and labor and wages.

Micaela Watts is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal covering issues tied to access and equity. She can be reached at micaela.watts@commercialappeal.com.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis mayoral candidates crime rate and solutions Peoples Convention