Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Memphis police present study showing modest crime drops around take‑home vehicles; council presses for more data
Summary
Chief CJ Davis told Council committees that a 2024 study of the Memphis Police Department's take‑home vehicle program showed a 13.99% reduction in certain crimes within a quarter‑mile of participating officers' homes, while members asked for further accident and distribution data and more oversight of the program.
Chief CJ Davis of the Memphis Police Department presented an overview of the department's evaluation of its take‑home vehicle program, telling council members the city's analysis showed a measurable reduction in crime in areas near officers who take marked vehicles home.
"Our analysis...shows an overall crime reduction of 13.99% across various categories, including aggravated assault, auto theft, robbery, burglary, and theft from motor vehicles," Chief Davis said during the committee briefing. He added that the department cannot attribute the full decline to the vehicle program alone because multiple initiatives operate concurrently.
Assistant Chief Martin Kuhl described the policy controls for officers eligible for take‑home vehicles, saying selection considers residency in the city, performance, disciplinary history and seniority. Kuhl said officers "do most of the time park the vehicle outside" to maximize visibility, and that the policy allows officers to take initial action if they encounter incidents while commuting.
Council members pressed for operational detail. Councilwoman Logan asked whether vehicles should be parked outside rather than in garages to increase visibility. "It would be great if there was something in there about not parking in the garage because it makes no sense to park in the garage if you won't ever see the car," she said. She also requested metrics tying take‑home vehicles to overtime and accident rates.
Chief Davis acknowledged outstanding questions and said the department is studying comparative practices in other cities and reviewing corrective actions after at‑fault accidents; officers who cause at‑fault collisions can lose take‑home privileges. The department also said it considers geographic distribution when assigning vehicles so areas with fewer cars receive priority when eligible officers are next in line.
Davis and staff described related enforcement activities designed to reduce traffic fatalities and violent crime: an expanded special traffic enforcement unit, an evening shift for traffic enforcement and multi‑agency operations with the Tennessee Highway Patrol. He said the department conducted several "code 0" operations this year (large deployments of officers) and a one‑week "operation slowdown" focused on interstates.
Council members asked for further data on whether take‑home cars correlate with accident trends and whether vehicle allocation decisions are producing equitable coverage in higher‑crime neighborhoods. Chief Davis said the department will provide more detailed analysis and make staff available to council members for follow‑ups.
The committee did not take formal action on the program during the briefing; council members requested subsequent documentation of the 2024 study, oversight metrics and clarifying materials the department referenced during its presentation.
