NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A state appeals court will hear arguments on Thursday in a lawsuit to decide if the National Guard will remain in Shelby County.

In November, a Nashville judge ruled in favor of Shelby County leaders, saying Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s deployment was unlawful. 

Attorneys for Lee and Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris will plead their cases as to why the National Guard should remain or be removed from the Memphis Safe Task Force. This comes days after Memphis police discussed the effectiveness of the task force since September.

RELATED: Court grants state’s appeal in National Guard lawsuit

On Tuesday, the Memphis Police Chief C.J. Davis told city councilmembers the progress of the Memphis Safe Task Force. “We want to make sure the federal help that’s here is focused in the areas and on the types of crimes that are being committed,” she said. 

Chief Davis said since the start of the task force in late September, there have been more than 6,700 arrests. She also said officers and agents have confiscated more than 240 pounds of methamphetamines and 2,000 pounds of marijuana and seized more than $1 million in cash.

RELATED: Tennessee files appeal of judge’s ruling in National Guard lawsuit

“When you look at the impact that that has year over year, the more drugs you take off the street, the safer the community is, the safer our kids are. And so that’s why we focus so heavily on it, and we all know that drugs and guns lead to more violent crimes,” Deputy Memphis Police Chief Col. Andrew Brown said. 

In October, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris, along with other local leaders, filed a lawsuit against Gov. Lee for deploying the National Guard. A month later, a chancellor in Nashville agreed the deployment was unconstitutional. Within days, the state appealed the ruling.

RELATED: Deployment of National Guard — including in Memphis — questioned during Senate hearing

FOX13 previously reported there are more than 1,000 federal agents total, and court filings in the lawsuit showed more than 700 National Guardsmen alone. 

Chief Davis told council they have all been working closely with MPD on a daily basis. 

“They actually go to every precinct every day in every role call, and they’re paired up with Memphis police officers so they’re not trying to figure it all out on their own,” Chief Davis said. 

The hearing begins at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.