Gov. Bill Lee, during a Sept. 26 press conference, said federal personnel with the “Memphis Safe Task Force” would be in Memphis “next week.”
Lee went on to say the task force would operate in phases, and did not specify when certain agencies would arrive or how many would be coming to Memphis. The task force was created after President Donald Trump signed a presidential memorandum on Sept. 15.
Trump, during that Sept. 15 Oval Office address, said the task force would function similarly to the deployment in Washington, D.C., and comes as part of an attempt to lower crime across America’s large cities.
Among the federal agencies deployed will be the National Guard. Here’s what we know about how those troops will function in Memphis.
Major General Warner A. Ross II, the adjutant general for the Tennessee National Guard, looks on as Governor Bill Lee discusses the deployment of the National Guard and other state and national resources to Memphis at a press conference in Memphis, Tenn., on September 26, 2025.
Will the National Guard be arresting people in Memphis?
During Lee’s press conference, the governor specifically said the National Guard would not be making arrests in its time in Memphis. This was emphasized by Memphis Mayor Paul Young in a fact sheet shared by the City of Memphis following the press conference.
Instead, both Lee and Young said the National Guard would operate in support roles, with the city saying they would be “eyes and ears” throughout Memphis. The city emphasized troops would not act as “frontline police” and would not issue warrants.
Lee did say, however, that the National Guard troops would be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service. Deputation is often used as a “force multiplier” and grants federal law enforcement powers, as written in Title 18’s crimes and criminal procedure statute, to those deputized.
According to a 2024 audit of the U.S. Marshals Service’s deputation history, Title 18 allows Marshals and their deputies “to carry firearms, seek and execute certain arrest and search warrants, serve subpoenas,” among other law enforcement duties. Deputized officials often are used for crowd control, as well. However, duties are based upon what the Marshals require.
It is not clear as of yet what deputation authority the U.S. Marshals Service will give the National Guard in Memphis.
Will the National Guard carry weapons, wear uniforms in Memphis?
Additionally, Lee said the National Guard will not be armed unless requested by a law enforcement agency.
Lee said during the press conference he would not be declaring a state of emergency in Memphis along with the National Guard deployment.
The National Guard troops will also be “easily identifiable,” according to the city, as they will be wearing their fatigues and not have masks on.
Additionally, the city said “armored tanks” will not be used in Memphis.
It is not clear how many National Guard troops will be in Memphis, nor how long they will be in the city. They also have not been designated specific areas to patrol, but the city said people “may see them throughout the community” during the deployment.
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: How exactly will National Guard fight crime in Memphis deployment?