There was a new sheriff in town this week, with Anthony Buckner being sworn in the evening of Aug. 31, and packing his first day on the job, Sept. 1, with community-based and transparency meetings.
And Memphis reported the fewest crimes since 2010, new data shows. Even with the decrease, it leads the country with its overall crime rate.
Here's what else was on the docket for the week of Aug. 31, 2026.
Buckner's first day features jail tour, meeting with clergy
Buckner's first day on the job saw him meet with clergy and take Memphis journalists through the Shelby County Jail at 201 Poplar, launching what he described as his administration's effort to increase transparency and community ties to the sheriff's office.
In the early hours of Sept. 1, he met with more than 100 members of Memphis' faith community
at the sheriff's office's training academy near Shelby Farms. The meeting, according to an agenda shared with The Commercial Appeal, featured a session for clergy members to share concerns about their communities and identify ways to work closer together.
"Our sheriff chose to begin his tenure alongside faith-based leaders from across Shelby County, demonstrating the importance of faith, unity and community partnership from day one," Pastor Maurice Fuller of Bloomfield Baptist Church said of the meeting. "How you begin sets the tone for how you lead and today was a powerful beginning."
Hours later, Buckner led media through the jail. Tours of the facility had previously been rare, but the sheriff's office began bringing media members, public officials and some community groups on tours as it ramped up efforts to grow support for a new jail.
"We know that the jail has been in many conversations across our community, so I definitely want to make sure that you guys have an opportunity to come out and see some of the progress that's been made," Buckner said after the tour. "But then we also discussed some of the many challenges that still exist."
Among the progress was the full repair of all 10 escalators within the jail, which had not functioned at the same time for well over a year. He also highlighted the progress in replacing door locks that had broken from a power surge over a year ago.
Additionally, Buckner said he was hoping to launch a national search for a new chief jailer. Now-former Chief Jailer Kirk Fields retired on Aug. 24. He was promoted to the position in 2018 by former Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. and worked within the sheriff's office for 37 years.
Crime stats show Memphis improving, but still leading country in crime rate
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has released this data in its Crime In Tennessee report every year since 2010. The CA has tracked that data annually, and found the number of crimes reported dropped nearly 19% in 2025 compared to 2024.
It also dropped 28% from the nearly record high numbers seen in 2023.
Some of the biggest declines were seen in the number of murders and aggravated assaults reported.
Since peaking in 2023, crime has trended downward and 2025 was no exception. Even before President Donald Trump established the Memphis Safe Task Force, which flooded the city with additional federal law enforcement, crime continued that trend.
The task force began operations in October and worked mostly to clear outstanding warrants through the last three months of the year. Prior to it being in Memphis, the Federal Bureau of Investigation spent summer 2025 doing much of the same with Operation Viper.
The final outcome was the lowest overall crime rate in 15 years.
But Memphis' crime rate still topped the nation in its overall and violent crime rates, according to FBI data. This year, however, Memphis did not lead the nation in terms of property crime. According to the FBI, Oakland, California, Portland and St. Louis had slightly more property crime reported than Memphis.
Top Commercial Appeal courts, public safety stories readers have viewed
- From Sept. 2: FBI talks about future Memphis operations amid decline in crime
- From Sept. 1: Memphis touts fewest crimes since 2010. Take a look at the data
- From Sept. 1: ICE agents arrested more than 120 during Memphis immigration raid
- From Sept. 1: Police arrest new suspect in OUTMemphis shooting after past wrongful arrest
- From Sept. 1: Shelby County sheriff to start national search for new chief jailer
- From Aug. 31: New Shelby County mayor, sheriff, commissioners take office
Latest in Memphis' biggest cases
After the Shelby County District Attorney's Office said Memphis police arrested the wrong person for the May 5 shooting inside OUTMemphis, a new suspect has been arrested and indicted.
According to MPD, 38-year-old Lorenzo Matthews was indicted on Aug. 20 for opening fire inside OUTMemphis' Cooper Young location. He was arrested on Aug. 28, the department said, in the 900 block of Early Maxwell, near where the shooting occurred.
Matthews is charged with attempted one count of second-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault and one count of employment of a firearm with intent to commit a felony.
A $105,000 bail was set for Matthews and he is set to have a bond hearing on Sept. 14. Matthews had not posted bail as of publication, according to court records.
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Lucas Finton covers crime, policing, jails, the courts and criminal justice policy for The Commercial Appeal. He can be reached by phone or email: (901)208-3922 and Lucas.Finton@commercialappeal.com, and followed on X @LucasFinton.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: New Shelby County sheriff meets with clergy, offers jail tours
