Memphis Security Trends: Year in Review 2024
2024 has been a demanding year for security operations in Memphis. Looking back across twelve months of field operations, client work, and incident data, several clear patterns stand out that should shape how property owners and security professionals think going into 2025. Here's what we observed.
Organized Retail Crime Accelerated
The first half of 2024 saw a notable increase in organized retail crime activity across Memphis retail corridors, particularly in the Germantown Pkwy corridor and in Wolfchase area shopping centers. These weren't lone shoplifters. They were coordinated groups working in teams, targeting high-value merchandise, and operating in stores without visible security coverage. Retailers who added dedicated loss prevention or security officer coverage during this period saw significantly lower incident rates than those who relied on cameras alone.
The lesson: cameras document. Officers deter. If organized retail crime is a risk for your business type, visible coverage is the more effective investment.
Copper Theft Returned as a Major Issue
Copper theft, which had been relatively quiet in Memphis for several years, returned as a significant concern in the second half of 2024. Construction sites, unoccupied commercial properties, and HVAC systems on commercial buildings all saw increased targeting. The correlation to copper pricing is consistent: when commodity prices are elevated, theft activity follows. With construction activity across the Medical District, Midtown, and East Memphis remaining high, this will continue to be a concern in 2025.
Summer Demand Exceeded Capacity Industry-Wide
The summer crime spike in July and August put pressure on security staffing across Memphis. Multiple providers in the market were running at or above capacity, which meant some clients couldn't get the coverage increases they needed when crime levels peaked. Properties that had ongoing contracts with adequate staffing maintained protection. Properties that tried to add coverage reactively in July struggled to find it.
The planning takeaway is clear: don't wait for crime to spike before increasing coverage. The companies that were best positioned in July were the ones that planned for summer in May.
Event Security Demand Grew Significantly
Memphis had an exceptionally busy events calendar in 2024. Music festivals, charity fundraisers, sporting events, and community gatherings all drove demand for qualified event security personnel. The properties and organizers who planned their security well in advance got what they needed. Last-minute requests were harder to fulfill at every level of the industry.
If your 2025 calendar includes major events, the time to discuss security is now, not 30 days before the event date.
What 2025 Should Look Like
Based on what we saw in 2024, the organizations that will perform best from a security standpoint in 2025 are the ones that treat security as an operational planning input rather than a reactive expense. That means annual security reviews, proactive coverage planning around seasonal risk patterns, and relationships with security providers that allow for flexible scaling when conditions change.
We're proud of the work our team did across Memphis in 2024, from major fundraisers in Germantown to overnight coverage for distribution facilities along Lamar Ave to residential patrol for apartment communities in Whitehaven and Cordova. We're looking forward to 2025.
If you want to start the new year with a security program that's properly planned and staffed, let's talk now. Visit our security officer page, check our Memphis coverage area, or call (202) 222-2225. Contact us to schedule your 2025 security review.