Shelby County commissioners approve amendment to accept Public Safety Ad Hoc Committee report, urge coordination with safety task force

Shelby County commissioners voted unanimously to approve an amendment to a prior resolution that allows the board to accept the final report of the Shelby County Public Safety Ad Hoc Committee and advance its recommendations.

The measure, read into the record as Item 17, amends a resolution originally adopted Sept. 22, 2025, and formally enables the board to receive the ad hoc committee’s final report covering Dec. 22, 2022, through May 2025. The amendment, sponsored by Commissioner Charlie Caswell Jr. and Commissioner McBride, passed after a motion by Commissioner Sugarman and a second from Vice Chair Bradford; clerks reported nine "I vote" tallies and the chair announced the motion passed.

The vote capped a debate focused on how the ad hoc committee’s recommendations should intersect with a separate safety task force and with upcoming federal funds. "I do think it's interesting that we have the safety task task force in this recent headline with the 80,000,000 coming in," Commissioner Thornton said, pressing for assurance that the ad hoc recommendations would be provided to the task force and that there be local oversight of those funds. Thornton asked "who is the local adviser for the funds" and urged that the commission ensure local input guides how any new money is spent.

Sponsor Commissioner Charlie Caswell Jr. responded that much of the ad hoc committee’s work predated the task force and that commissioners serving on related state or crime commissions can advocate to sustain recommendations at higher levels. "A lot of our recognition was before the task force came," Caswell said, adding that some recommendations could inform reentry supports, sustainability planning and coordination with city, county and neighborhood safety efforts. He also emphasized the need to pair federal suppression dollars with prevention and intervention investments.

Commissioner Wright gave the committee report, telling the body the item "comes down without recommendation" from committee. After the roll call the clerk reported votes from Clay Fields; Caswell; Sugarman; Mills; Bridal; Thornton; Morrison; Bradford; and Chairwoman Avant, and the chair announced the motion passed 9–0.

Next steps were not specified on the record beyond the board accepting the report and advancing its recommendations; several commissioners asked staff and members to find ways to transmit recommendations to the county-city joint office and the safety task force for consideration. The amendment packet notes the item was added on, amended, and sent down without recommendation in the Jan. 21, 2026 committee meeting.

The meeting moved from the vote to announcements, where Commissioner Wright publicly commended Sheriff's Office deputies and fire personnel who rescued two young men submerged in a lake during the recent storm and the chair said she would invite those responders to a future meeting for formal recognition.

The commission also heard community-outreach announcements from Commissioner Caswell about a Feb. 9–14 "boots on the ground" outreach in Sycamore View and surrounding neighborhoods with partner groups providing food, clothing and services, and a stakeholder event at 3034 Austin Peay with U.S. Attorney Mike Donovan scheduled to speak at noon. Commissioner Thornton said his district plans a "Day of Love" event on Feb. 14 from 6 to 10 p.m.

The meeting was adjourned until Monday, Feb. 9 at 3:00 p.m.