Community, city leaders discuss tackling crime in Whitehaven

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) - Crime in Memphis is already trending. On day two of 2024, Memphis has already clocked two homicides.

The first homicide of the year was at a gas station in Whitehaven on New Year’s Day.

Early Tuesday morning, a double shooting at a Whitehaven apartment complex left two people shot in critical condition.

Action News 5 spoke with community leaders about trying to get ahead of crime this year.

Jason Sharif is the founder and executive director of Respect the Haven. Sharif said there are some areas that everyone must tackle to get crime under control.

“Number one, we have to address poverty and economic opportunities. Number two, is us as a community coming together and developing a code of conduct. How we are going to treat each other and how we are going to love each other,” said Sharif. “Number three, elected official’s politicians are going to be held accountable and we have to work with these elected officials.”

Pastor Earle Fisher Pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church said just because it’s a new year doesn’t mean crime is going to slow down or stop.

“We are in the midst of a bunch of celebratory events, but in the next few days, the smoke is going to clear and policies are going to have to be passed. We are going to have to be honest about our assessment of what’s effective and what’s ineffective and when it is necessary to change course,” said Fisher.

Fisher has been saying for months there is no microwave solution to crockpot problems. Fisher said it’s going to take more than just a new year to get us out of this crime rut.

“We took several different turns over the last eight, 10, 15 even 20 years to get here. I do think we can make some moves in the next several months to steer the ship in the right direction, but I don’t see any immediate stop. I think that’s the smoking mirror is that too many elected officials or community stakeholders have offered,” said Fisher.

Action News 5′s Tarvarious Haywood also spoke with the new voice that’s representing Whitehaven and how she plans to get crime under control.

Pearl Walker is the new city councilwoman for District 3. Crime has hit her district hard in the first 24 hours of 2024.

Just two days into her new role as city councilwoman, Walker says she agrees with both Fisher and Sharif, who say that they’ve both had conversations with her on ways to get to the bottom of crime. Walker Agrees that collaborative approach is needed for a safer Whitehaven.

“We have to take a community approach to this. We need more involvement from the community. We are not asking people to go out and track down criminals. We need to invest more in our young people and give them opportunities,” said Walker.

Walker said her goal in the first 60 days is to gather more funding to provide youth opportunities.

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