National guard troops began walking the streets of Memphis a year ago this week, as part of a federal surge of law enforcement agents sent into the city at the behest of the Trump administration to reduce violent crime.
Fewer soldiers are on the street today, as the city’s grudging initial acceptance of the president’s deployment has given way to doubts about their effectiveness, focus and respect for civil rights – particularly after four men were killed in gunfire by federal agents working with the taskforce, with a recent autopsy showing that one was shot in the back.
