Reginald Hubbard spent over two decades as a U.S. Marshal, chasing fugitives and managing high-stakes security. Now, he’s looking to bring that experience back home. He’s running for Shelby County Sheriff, and he says the current system is due for a major overhaul.
A local kid with federal experience
Hubbard isn’t an outsider coming in to tell Memphis how to run things. He grew up right here. He graduated from the University of Memphis and actually started his career in the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. He knows these streets because he’s lived on them.
After 24 years with the U.S. Marshals Service, he’s seen how law enforcement works at the highest levels. He thinks it’s time to bring that sense of professionalism and accountability back to his old department. It’s about taking what works on a federal level and making it work for the neighborhood.
Getting the jail under control
One of the biggest headaches for the county right now is the state of the local jail. It’s been hit with reports of poor conditions and safety issues for a while now. For Hubbard, fixing this isn’t just a campaign promise—it’s a necessity for public safety.
He’s focusing on a few specific fixes:
- Upgrading jail tech to keep both staff and inmates safer.
- Better mental health support to keep the jail from becoming a holding cell for people who just need help.
- Stricter training standards to help keep good officers on the job and improve morale.
Building trust on the street
Hubbard is vocal about the fact that you can’t police a neighborhood that doesn’t trust you. He wants to see more transparency in how the office operates. That means getting deputies out of their patrol cars and back into the community to talk to the people they serve every day.
It’s a big job, and the race for Sheriff is always a local lightning rod. But Hubbard believes his mix of home-grown roots and federal grit is exactly what the county needs to get back on track. Whether voters agree that a former Marshal is the right pick to lead the department is the next big question for Shelby County.