Team,
As we close out 2025, and I reflect on wins and the “what’s next” list for Memphis, I want to share some of what I am most proud of from our work to make Memphis stronger.
Since taking office in January 2024, our public safety strategy has delivered results. Compared to 2023, overall crime in Memphis is down 41%. Violent crime is down 30%. Murders are down 47%. Aggravated assaults are down 24%. And in 2025, crime declined in every single zip code in our city. That progress was independently confirmed when a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation audit validated that the crime reductions reported by MPD were accurate.
When I took office, we set a clear goal to reduce overall crime by 40% in four years. We reached that goal in two. That does not mean the work is done. It means the strategy is working. This is the moment to sustain the gains, double down on what works, and push further so progress lasts.
Those numbers mean more families feel safer pulling into their driveways, letting their kids play outside, and moving through their neighborhoods with confidence.
We opened the Downtown Command Center for real-time response, expanded and integrated our camera network, realigned police beats citywide, and invested in people, technology, and accountability. These were deliberate choices to move faster, respond smarter, and focus resources where they make the greatest difference.
Before we set that strategy, I listened. For years, Memphians told me they wanted safer streets, stronger neighborhoods, and a city that followed through. They wanted action they could see and feel. That is what guided our decisions from the start.
I believe Memphis is better today, not just because crime is down, but because neighborhoods feel different. Residents asked us to stop letting neglect define their blocks, and we responded. We took action against more than 22,000 derelict and decaying properties that were hurting the quality of life and property values. We cut over 13,000 lots, removed tens of thousands of illegally dumped tires, and cleaned thousands of dump sites across the city.
We also changed how the basics get done and strengthened the foundation that holds the city together. Public Works shifted street maintenance to a 10-zone, proactive strategy to address problems before they spread. Snow and ice response moved to a route-based approach that keeps the city connected when conditions are toughest. MLGW improved reliability while replacing aging infrastructure, and our Fire Department maintained the highest ISO rating while modernizing training and equipment. Together, this work protects neighborhoods, supports growth, and makes daily life more predictable for the people we serve.
We worked to make City Hall more responsive. We began modernizing 311 and partnered with FedEx to strengthen customer service and accountability. We launched an online capital projects tracker and redesigned the City website to make it easier for residents to find information and services. Transparency builds trust.
We invested in the future. Through MPLOY, we connected a record 1,807 young Memphians to jobs and opportunity, expanding pathways that strengthen this city for years to come.
Memphis is safer, cleaner, and more focused than it was two years ago because we listened, we acted, and we stayed the course.
We still have work to do. But we have proof that disciplined strategy and steady execution can change the direction of a city. In 2026, we will build on what is working and keep pushing Memphis toward its fullest potential.
Help us continue this progress by contributing to our campaign.
Happy New Year, Memphis.
In partnership and progress,
Paul Young
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