With more than 13,500 arrests reported since it deployed last year, U.S. Attorney Todd Blanche said the Memphis Safe Task Force (MSTF) would remain in the city, calling it an investment by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other federal agencies that compose the task force.
Blanche made the comments at a Friday roundtable event held by the DOJ to mark the one-year anniversary of the task force, which President Donald Trump authorized in September 2025 and which was fully deployed by October 2025.
“We’re not here saying we’re shutting it down,” said Blanche. “We’re not here saying that we’re packing up and going home. To the contrary, we’re saying that we have invested in this city, and we’re not cashing out our investment.”
Instead of leaving, Blanche indicated the DOJ would double down on sending resources to Memphis.
“We’re actually going to continue to pay into this city, and to pay into this investment with manpower, and funds, and working together, so that in another year when we come back here, we will be able to champion even more successes,” said Blanche.
According to a U.S. Marshals Service press release from last Thursday, task force members are responsible for “13,598 arrests, including 144 for homicide, 1,464 for controlled substances, 1,336 for firearms violations, and 126 for sex offenses.”
The Marshals also said the MSTF has located 196 missing children.
Expressing gratitude for the task force, U.S. Attorney Michael Dunavant said it has created more work for his office and confirmed he is up to the task.
“Caseloads have gone up, really by three times,” stated Dunavant. “We’ve tripled our caseload.”
The prosecutor also suggested that MSTF members arrest people responsible for a disproportionate amount of crime in the city.
“We know that it is a relatively small number of people among those arrests that are really the trigger pullers and the traffickers that are creating all of the violent crime,” said Dunavant. “The best thing I can do as U.S. Attorney to support law enforcement is to take your cases, prosecute your cases aggressively, and see them through to the end.”
Dunavant told the crowd, “Turns out nothing works quicker, or more effectively, to reduce violent crime than hyper-vigilant policing and aggressive prosecution.”
In her remarks, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) said her office receives a daily update on the task force’s activity and the MSTF should be a model for other cities.
“We truly feel that Memphis is the model for how you can move forward,” said Blackburn, calling those involved with the task force “the best team in the entire country.”
The senator stated, “We have a shared purpose. We have a shared goal.”
Blackburn also praised Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel for mobilizing federal resources to the city.
To the federal government officials, she added, “So welcome, because you’re in Memphis, which will be the safest city in the United States.”
Watch the full MSTF roundtable event:
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Tom Pappert is a 2025 recipient of the Dao Prize and the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star. He also reports for the Star News Network. Follow Tom on X. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Memphis Safe Task Force” by Tennessee National Guard.
