Memphis Republicans Question Reports Of Lower Crime Rates

Image Credit: Representative John Gillespie / Facebook & Canva

The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

On Wednesday, Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis-District 31) addressed a media leak of a letter he signed requesting an unannounced Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) audit of Memphis crime data.

The letter was also signed by Representative John Gillespie (R-Memphis-District 97).

“Many of my constituents have expressed concerns to me regarding local crime data,” Sen. Taylor wrote in a social media post. “In the spirit of President Ronald Reagan, I wanted to ‘Trust but Verify.’”

According to Sen. Taylor, he had intended to keep the letter private until he received the results.

“However, the media got a hold of it, so I wanted to address you all directly,” he told constituents. “It is reported certain cities around the country, including Washington D. C., are manipulating crime data to show favorable results. I do not intend to let Memphis be one of those cities. While I have no evidence beyond hearsay that Memphis has done this, there should be no fear from local government about an audit if there is no improper data manipulation occurring.”

Sen. Taylor noted that his speculation is not unreasonable considering that there is an incentive to provide inaccurate crime data.

“There’s an old saying: Figures lie and liars figure,” Sen. Taylor continued. “There is an incentive for those in charge of entering crime data to show crime is down. After all, in a world where I have the only watch, I’ll always be on time everywhere I go! The only way we can solve the problem is if the problem is clearly defined with honest and transparent data.”

The lawmaker stated that if the TBI audit confirms that the Memphis crime data is, in fact, accurate, it will be “the first step toward changing the public’s perception about crime in our community.”

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee.  You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.