Council requests MPD decline escort during Trump’s visit

2nd June 2022

Published: Jun. 1, 2022 at 5:08 PM CDT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – The American Freedom Tour with former President Donald Trump is scheduled to be in the Mid-South on June 18. The event starts at 8:15 that morning at the Landers Center in Southaven.

Wednesday, Memphis City Councilman JB Smiley, Jr. and Martavius Jones announced plans to present a resolution to the Memphis Police Department on June 7.

The resolution asks MPD to decline escorting the former president to the event on June 18.

“As we know, the Memphis Police Department is already experiencing a shortage of officers to patrol our communities,” Smiley said. “I do not believe that it is a prudent use of police manpower and Memphians’ taxpayer dollars to escort the former president to an event in Mississippi.”

MPD says they have not been contacted about security for the event.

Landers Center executive director Todd Mastry issued this statement on security:

“Secret Service is in charge of security, as they were for his visit back in 2018. There may be some protocols that differ slightly from 2018 because he is now a former president rather than a sitting president. I’m not able to go into detail, though, because Secret Service is in charge.”

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