It’s a pattern. Memphis is a Redneck, sloppy and unprofessional city. And get this ! On the heels of the Redneck No Kings MPD over use of force incident, Commissioner Brandon Morrison succeeds in staging a Redneck Elitist rip off, of small nonprofit funding, to benefit the grossly deficient and financially nontransparent Memphis Shelby Crime Commission (MSCC).

Morrison’s $200K Redneck raid of small nonprofit funding came at the April 27 County Commission Meeting (01:52:45). Morrisons funding source for the well established MSCC was the Milton Grant Fund, a fund typically reserved for small nonprofits and often criticized in the media as a slush fund for local electeds. Voting with Morrison on this Redneck ripoff was Commissioners Avant, Bradford, Mills Wright, Caswell, Lowery, Szalaj. Thornton and Bibbs

Morrison propped MSCC up as a credible organization, which they are not. Based on data, the 1997 established MSCC is part of the high crime rate problem in Memphis and a complete failure. The funding was to support MSCC’s development a Safe Community Plan.

Based on MSCC’s website, I have submitted a public information request to ascertain the University of Memphis’ “independent assessments” of MSCC work and especially the assessment of the 2017 Safe Community Plan. Any independent assessment of the MSCC 2017 plan would have to be disastrous. Sadly, the former is the product $200K usually reserved for small nonprofits is, along with other things, going to purchase for taxpayers. 

I believe MSCC is the “think tank” that arranges excessive public safety contracts like $11M for police cameras, which results in body cam footage citizens cannot access. And its unclear if MPD even has a process for auditing or leveraging body cam footage for over force use or to inform police training.

Further, Ben Adams is MSCC Board Chair. Adams is also Vice Chair of the Board of Directors for the Greater Memphis Chamber and Chair of the Greater Memphis Workforce Development Board (GMWDB).

The Greater Memphis Chamber is the paid fiscal agent for the GMWDB, where Adams Chairmanship would seem to be a conflict of intertest. Having said the former, Adams leadership does not seem to be working out at the GMWDB, as they have been under level 3 State of TN sanction for the Chamber’s deficient fiscal agency of the GMWDB.

MSCC has never cared about workforce. I know. I tried with Bill Gibbons, MSCC President, years ago. I mentioned to Gibbons that workforce development was stuck, likely helping the high crime rate and the Chamber was not helping and I could help. Gibbons quickly ended the meeting when I mentioned the Chamber’s obstruction. MSCC does not care about workforce development.

And then there is the $10M Federal Rape Kit City of Memphis Botch that was going on at the time of the unfortunate Eliza Fletcher slaying, where kit data could have been useful.  MSCC was involved with the $10M kit grant botch that was taken over by TBI from the City of Memphis.   

All that to say, $200K typically reserved for small nonprofits going to a well established but grossly deficient organization like MSCC is a disgrace. Its just more proof of Memphis as Redneck, sloppy and unprofessional city.

Check the Facts

Greater Memphis Chamber Board of Directors - https://memphischamber.com/about/board-of-directors/

Greater Memphis Workforce Development Board of Directors - https://greatermemworkforce.com/gmwdb-board-of-directors/

Memphis Shelby Crime Commission Board of Directors - https://memphiscrime.org/board-of-directors-2/

Memphis Shelby Crime Commission website Retrieved on 4/23/26 - https://1drv.ms/b/c/229429ba69455723/IQDyNJkG0DYwT5J53QiNcoAwAd5qxW7R3suGQVg6jegVlus?e=q7Y9oy