MPD increases security as festival season gets underway
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Festival season is underway in the city of Memphis.
This means crowds of people will be packing downtown and Midtown to join in on the festivities.
However, while the crowds may be picking up, there are concerns about how the recent crime will impact the festivities.
The pots were boiling, the plates were full and stomachs were satisfied at the Porter-Leath's 32nd Annual Rajun Cajun Crawfish Festival.
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Hundreds of people came from all over to enjoy the cuisine on Riverside Drive.
'It's about 6 of us together. So, we gone eat up,' visitors Eric Jackson and Kareem Covington said.
'Actually, a great opportunity to take my wife out on a date,' Garland Holmon told WREG.
It's one of the many festivals taking place downtown this spring.
However, even though festivities will be picking up, crime in the city of Memphis has been picking up as well.
Memphis Police responded to at least 28 homicides this month.
WREG has reported that many of the victims have been children, including a 17-year-old who was killed during a food truck festival at Tom Lee Park.
Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis said some of the gun violence is gang-related and some was domestic.
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Either way, she called it all 'nonsense' and said the department has implemented several initiatives and utilized various tools to keep the city safe.
During Sunday's festival, WREG, as well as several attendees we spoke to, noticed several officers in the area.
'I feel comfortable. I am not afraid and I am happy to be here. They checked our bags twice when we came in,' Mary and Garland Holmon said.
'Safety has been a big deal, but I've noticed they have a lot of security here,' Janet Prater said. 'I feel pretty safe.'
While some fear the violence will only get worse, others say they refuse to feel trapped in their own homes.
'We're not going to be held hostage, Garland Holmon said. 'We think that the city is eventually going to go in the right direction, and there's no way to capitalize on that if we don't start supporting it now.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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