Business owners to meet with mayor, MPD to discuss crime

MEMPHIS, Tenn –Memphis leaders and business owners will meet Wednesday night in East Memphis to discuss crime prevention and strengthening the local business community.

Mayor Paul Young, Interim Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis, Bank of America Memphis President Trevia Chatman, VP of Operations for EDGE Joann Massey, and other business owners in the city are expected to attend.

“We understand that we have crime in front of us, but there is also something behind that that continues to show the continued strength of Memphis. It’s a beautiful city,” said Trevia Chatman, President of Memphis’s Bank of America. “We have so many wonderful things that are part of the community, part of the culture.”

“It’s important for us to really understand from these business leaders, from these business owners, what’s important to them?” said Chatman.

Business owners of different industries, large, small, and minority-owned, can share concerns and ask questions to the leaders of Memphis.

“All of these sectors, at the end of the day, touch the community,” said Chatman.

The business community coming together to look for solutions has been ongoing.

In February, the WREG investigators told you about the Greater Memphis Chamber President hand delivering a letter to Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed by 85 business executives of the city’s largest businesses calling for things like a $50 million grant for crime reduction strategies, more money to tackle a backlog of court cases and a new law making possession of a stolen firearm a felony.

“We think that economic development is prescriptive to the solutions for the precursors of crime, poverty, the lack of education and skills attainment,” said Ted Townsend, Greater Memphis Chamber President.

Attendance is at capacity tonight, but leaders are encouraging other business leaders to stay connected and attend other meetings in the future.

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