Lee touts Memphis SAFE task force results, proposes $80M in grants and additional troopers

Governor Bill Lee used his address to highlight results from the Memphis SAFE task force, saying collaborative federal, state and local action has driven notable crime reductions and arrests.

He cited a 55% decrease in crime in Shelby County and more than 5,500 arrests tied to task-force work, and he recognized members of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and special agents involved in the missing‑child unit. To sustain progress, Lee proposed $80 million in grants for Memphis and said the budget would permanently place 100 Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers in Shelby County. He added that with an additional 50 trooper positions proposed this year the state would reach 1,300 troopers statewide.

The governor framed these resources as part of a broader strategy to extend safe neighborhoods beyond Memphis, with grants and nonprofit partnerships aimed at prevention and reentry supports. The address did not include implementing legislation or grant guidelines; those would be developed through the budget and administrative processes.