TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Sep 2, 2025

State Sen. Brent Taylor, R-Eads, and state Rep. John Gillespie, R-Memphis, have asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to conduct an unannounced audit of the Memphis Police Department’s (MPD) crime statistics. In an Aug. 15 letter to TBI Director David Rausch, the lawmakers cited concerns that some felony crimes may have been downgraded to misdemeanors or recorded only as memos, keeping them out of official reports. Both legislators stressed they have no direct evidence but said an audit could restore public trust in crime data and help depoliticize the issue. MPD leaders strongly denied any manipulation, saying the department follows strict state and federal reporting standards and that errors are corrected through review and quality assurance. The TBI said it audits agencies every three years, with additional reviews possible if anomalies arise. It declined to confirm whether Memphis is currently under review. The Daily Memphian has the story.