MEMPHIS, Tenn. — West Memphis Police will be beefing up patrols for the Memorial Day weekend.
They said for the holiday weekend, there will be more patrols on the streets, and more staff working dispatch to crack down on drunk driving and speeding.
During a news conference Friday, Mayor Marco McLendon and West Memphis Police said they are focusing on finding solutions to increase the peace in the city.
Mayor McLendon said one way they hope to bring the homicide rate down is by providing young people opportunities for summer classes and job programs. He is also hoping a new initiative “West Memphis United” will help. The campaign is meant to create a united front with citizens and the city’s religious leaders.
WMPD said overall crime this year is down 43% compared to last year, but homicides are up 300%, primarily because of gang-related shootings. Police said as of Tuesday, “Operation Purge” has been in effect in an effort to take guns out of the hands of gang members. They said they have gotten 10 guns and made 10 arrests in that time.
WMPD said they also have gotten lots of information, and they will treat gangs as criminal enterprises, having identified the most dangerous in the city. They said they intend to dismantle gangs from the top down.
Both the mayor and the chief of police emphasized there needs to be more trust in law enforcement, saying it takes a village and that police can't do it alone. They said if someone doesn’t feel comfortable talking to police, they can also go to their pastor to find help.