Community Group Calls for Tougher Gun Laws

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - In a few weeks Memphians will head to Nashville to talk about the need for tougher gun crime laws. In preparation, many of them organized a public crime forum with several local leaders to make their concerns known.

Alan Jacobs can tell you firsthand how gun crime can cripple a family.

"My son was murdered a couple of years ago. I'm sure it was done by a felon with an illegal gun," he said.

Jacobs is one of hundreds of Memphians rallying together in support of stiffer penalties for those who commit a crime with a gun in Tennessee.

"Keeping criminals in jail and adding more prosecutors to prosecute these cases," said Jacobs.

In preparation of taking their crime concerns to Nashville for lawmakers to hear later this month, the Citizen Safety Coalition held a forum at the Jewish Community Center.

Here families of victims told their stories while local officials and law enforcement seemed to echo their calls for a safer city.

"One thing I worry about is whether a gun is in their (his son's killer's) possession and are they going to use it again?" Jacobs said.

It's a pursuit at least one state senator says she supports but says also comes with fiscal limitations.

"Unfortunately every time you tighten a law more people become incarcerated and every time you incarcerate people it costs states a lot of money," said State Senator Beverly Marrero of Memphis.

10 WAYS YOU CAN HELP MAKE MEMPHIS AND SHELBY COUNTY SAFER:

1. Visit www.operationsafecommunity.org and sign up to receive the monthly electronic newsletter containing up-to-date crime stats and legislative alerts about bills that will help to reduce crime.
2. Contact your State Representatives and State Senator to keep concerns about crime in our community at the forefront. To get contact information and track bills as they move through the Tennessee General Assembly visit www.legislature.state.tn.us/ .
3. Express your support of leaders and community efforts addressing crime in our community by writing local broadcast and print media, such as Letters to the Editors, and writing local City and County leadership.
4. Sign-up for the Memphis Police Department’s CyberWatch to receive public safety information in your area at https://kiosk.memphispolice.org/cyberwatch/ .
5. Call the Memphis City Schools Truancy Hotline at 416-8111 if you see juveniles not in school during regular school hours.
6. Become a mentor as part of the District Attorney’s Anti-Truancy Mentoring Program by calling Harold Collins at 545-5900 or emailing mentor@scdag.com .
7. Start your neighborhood’s Neighborhood Watch Group to help prevent crime in your area. If you live in the city of Memphis, contact the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator at your local MPD precinct or call 867-1401 if you live in Shelby County.
8. Report tips to CrimeStoppers by calling 528-CASH or visiting www.528CASH.org
9. Encourage senior citizens to contact Senior B Safe at 274-7477 if they feel endangered.
10. Meet with candidates up for election in 2010 including Governor, members of Congress, State Representatives, half of the State Senate, Shelby County Mayor, Sheriff and County Commissioners to find out how they plan to address crime in our community if elected.