MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Bad news about rising crime was in the February report of the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission released Monday.
Major violent crime, murders on the rise
The reported major violent crime rate for January-February 2016 was up 24.5 percent countywide and up 22.2 percent in the city of Memphis, compared to the same period in 2015.
Operation: Safe Community uses 2006 as its baseline, however, and this rate was down 7.4 percent countywide and 4.1 percent in Memphis, compared to the same period in 2006.
Major violent crimes include murder, rape, aggravated assault and robbery.
Murder rates in Shelby County increased 47.1 percent for this time period over 2015 and 22.4 percent compared to 2006. In
Memphis, the murder rate was up 47.1 percent over 2014 and 29.8 percent compared to 2006.
Major property crime rate drops
The major property crime rate continued to decline, however.
Countywide, the rate of major property crimes (burglaries, auto thefts, and other theft offenses) dropped 4.0 percent in 2016 compared to 2015 and 40.7 percent compared to 2006.
In Memphis, the decline in 2016 compared to 2015 was 1.8 percent and 37.8 percent compared to 2006.
Variances seen in rate of domestic violence
The reported domestic violence crime rate for January-February 2016 compared to the same period in 2015 was up 1.7 percent countywide and down 1.1 percent in the city of Memphis.
While data going back to 2006 is not available for reported domestic violence offenses, Operation: Safe Community in 2011 began tracking this crime category and uses it as a baseline year. Compared to the 2011 baseline year, the reported domestic violence crime rate was down 12.9 percent countywide and 11.4 percent in Memphis.
Domestic violence offenses include homicides, all assaults, kidnapping/abduction, and all forcible and non-forcible sex offenses, based upon victim to offender relationships.
Interim Police Director Michael Rallings expressed concern over the increased rates of murder in Memphis for the months of January and February.
“In 2016, we have experienced an increase of homicides compared to 2015. This increase is unacceptable and will require a collaborative effort among law enforcement and our community,“ he stated.
He continued, “Deploying officers into areas that have been deemed ‘high crime’ areas might help diffuse some situations, but that will not solve the problem entirely. We can even hire more officers to help with the call load, but without community involvement, we cannot change the direction that we are going. Law enforcement, along with every citizen, plays a role in the safety of the community. We must work together if we want to make a positive change.”
The statistics
The Operation: Safe Community monthly crime trends report uses data reported by local enforcement agencies to the Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS), which was developed and is maintained by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI).
An incident is defined in TIBRS as “one or more offenses committed by the same offender, or group of offenders acting in concert, at the same time and place.” The domestic violence reported offenses however, uniquely refer to a victim count versus an incident count.
