Memphis Police Host Business Safety Forum

The department hosted a forum at Wolfchase Galleria Mall to help business owners prepare for holiday shoplifting and related threats.

Updated on Nov. 11, 2026 in Property Crime

Bare steel steering wheel lock on an empty asphalt parking lot in low afternoon light, with a plain retail building edge softly out of focus behind it. — The Memphis Police Department hosted a business safety forum at Wolfchase Galleria Mall, offering holiday shoplifting guidance and free steering wheel locks to local merchants. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you take steps to protect your property from theft during the holidays?

The Memphis Police Department hosted its Business Safety Awareness Forum for business owners at Wolfchase Galleria Mall. The session covered holiday safety and shoplifting prevention, and the department gave away free steering wheel locks to help prevent auto theft.

Why it matters

Shoplifting rises during the holiday season, and the forum gave Memphis business owners practical steps to protect their stores and staff. Free steering wheel locks also target auto theft, a common property crime in the city.

The forum has been held for three consecutive years, but no attendance figures were released. The source does not report whether shoplifting or auto theft counts have changed as a result.

The players

Memphis Police Department

The municipal police agency serving Memphis, Tennessee, which runs community safety programs including the Business Safety Awareness Forum and a real-time crime center.

The details

Business owners were briefed on checking the parking lot before entering, communicating with staff about shoplifting, and responding if a shooting occurs at a business. They were advised to keep cameras and alarm systems working and to alert other employees to suspicious shopper activity, and the department invited attendees to join its real-time crime center.

Forum hosted by the Memphis Police Department over the past three years, held annually.
The 2026 forum was held on November 11, 2026, as the holiday shopping season approaches.

Legal Context

The forum's holiday focus reflects a recurring seasonal pattern in retail property crime that local police agencies address through annual prevention outreach. Its emphasis on business owners and auto theft prevention places it within the department's ongoing public safety partnerships with Memphis commercial and residential communities.

Business owners in Memphis can use the forum's guidance on cameras, alarm systems, and staff communication to reduce shoplifting risk this holiday season. Residents can request a steering wheel lock or contact the department's real-time crime center to report suspicious activity.

The takeaway

Keeping cameras and alarm systems working and training staff to spot suspicious shoppers are low-cost steps that can reduce holiday losses. Business owners who want to stay connected can join the Memphis Police Department's real-time crime center.