Two Memphis City Councilmen don't want Memphis police giving former President Trump security

Two Memphis City Councilmen don't want the Memphis Police Department to provide security for former President Donald Trump during his planned June 18 event in Southaven.

A news release issued by the two Democratic members of the City Council said that they plan on introducing a resolution urging the MPD not to provide security for Trump.

The Memphis Police Department is experiencing a shortage of officers. I don't think it's a good use of police manpower and taxpayer dollars to escort the former president to Mississippi.

He is vying to be the Democratic nominee for governor of Tennessee.

The resolution would likely be non-binding on the Memphis Police Department and it is not clear if it would be apropos anyway.

At this point, we have not been contacted to assist.

Secret Service protection is given to former presidents after they leave office. Private events featuring prominent people often require city police departments to provide security.

The American Freedom Tour will stop at the Landers Center on June 18 and it is possible that the former president will land at Memphis International Airport.

There are billboards on Memphis highways saying that the city welcomes the former president. Trump won 34% of the vote in the county. Many of the votes came from the suburbs.

In Memphis proper, Trump lost to President Joe Biden by a much larger margin. The Landers Center is located in Mississippi, where he won 61% of the vote.

The American Freedom Tour was waiting on a comment from the Commercial Appeal.

This article was originally published on Memphis Commercial Appeal.