A federal task force in Memphis, Tennessee, is facing scrutiny after two deadly shootings by law enforcement in one week. The task force, which combines local law enforcement with the National Guard, state troopers, and several federal agencies, was created to lower the city’s crime rates.

Background

The task force was announced by President Donald Trump on September 15, with the goal of reducing violent crime in Memphis. The city has faced high levels of violent crime, with the highest violent crime rate last year among US cities with a population over 250,000, according to a CNN review of FBI data.

Despite the task force’s efforts, critics say they feel under siege. "There’s no accountability, and there’s no goalposts," said Jessica Miller, an organizer with the activist group Indivisible Memphis. "Even where there were goalposts, they keep being moved."

Shootings

The two recent shootings involve a suspect who was described as a person "armed with a handgun" and another suspect who "pointed a handgun at members of the Memphis Safe Task Force," according to officials. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is still investigating the shootings.

The task force has been involved in five shootings since its creation, all of which have involved federal law enforcement officers. No updates have been provided about the investigations, and no charges have been filed in any of the cases.

Community Response

Some members of the community say they don’t feel safer with the task force present. "This is not a reality that anyone should be expected to live in. What is happening is unfathomable," said resident Dai Williams.

The ACLU of Tennessee has filed a lawsuit accusing the task force of abusing a state law that allows law enforcement to order civilians to stay away from crime scenes. The lawsuit claims that the task force has used the law to block people from documenting officers’ actions.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.