By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square
(Worthy News) –
Taylor said in a post on social media that he and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., have discussed Memphis’ crime problem for months.
“The senator and I have talked about how National Guard troops can best be used as a force multiplier to support local, state, and federal law enforcement officials,” Taylor said. “This may include administrative and logistical support for law enforcement professionals permitting an increased presence of local and state officials in the community seeking out law breakers and protecting the public.”
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally said he also supported the decision.
“Law and order is the first and most important function of government,” McNally said. “Memphis has not been in control of its crime problem for many years.”
Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green, running for governor as a Democrat, said National Guard troops make headlines but they don’t solve problems.
“Tennessee doesn’t need more boots – we need smarter investments: common-sense gun laws, safer neighborhoods, mental health support, anti-blight funding, business training, streamlined jail processes, and survivor services,” Green said.
Trump made the announcement from a guest appearance on the network television show Fox and Friends. It comes after days of speculation and comments from the governor and mayor about crime.
Lee said Wednesday he was sending 50 members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol to Memphis.
Young said in a statement Thursday that he was aware of discussions about the National Guard coming to the city.
“We agree with Governor Lee that effective support for Memphis comes through focused initiatives that deliver results like we have seen with the FBI, state troopers, and other law enforcement partnerships,” Young said in the statement posted on WREG. “What we need most are financial resources for intervention and prevention, additional patrol officers, and case support to strengthen MPD’s investigations. Memphis is already making measurable progress in bringing down crime, and we support initiatives that help accelerate the pace of the work our officers, community partners, and residents are doing every day.”
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest Stories from Worthy News
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Hamas must surrender its weapons or face dire consequences, saying that if the terror group refuses to disarm, “all hell breaks loose.” His comments came Tuesday in an interview with CBS, amid efforts to implement U.S. President Donald Trump’s ceasefire and reconstruction plan for Gaza.
Belgium’s security forces used tear gas and a water cannon to disperse tens of thousands of protesters who flooded Brussels, the national and European Union capital, to express outrage over Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s proposed austerity measures.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump has posthumously awarded America’s highest civilian honor to Charlie Kirk, the assassinated born-again Christian activist who inspired a generation of young Americans and others worldwide to embrace their faith and conservative values.
A fire at a garment factory and an adjacent chemical warehouse in Bangladesh’s capital on Tuesday killed at least 16 people, and officials warned the death toll could rise as rescue operations continued late into the night.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet at the White House on Friday to discuss what both sides have described as a “Mega Deal” to bolster Ukraine’s air defenses — potentially including U.S. Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of striking deep inside Russia.