Armed security guards began working at various park facilities in Metro Nashville on Friday, with park officials reportedly saying the improved security would honor the loss of Alyssa Lockits, who was killed at the Mill Creek Greenway in October 2024.
The increased security was first reported on Thursday by WKRN, which reported that Metro Parks Assistant Director Stevon Neloms called them a “deterrent” for those who may engage in violence.
It was additionally reported by the outlet that the armed security personnel come in addition to the regular Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) patrols and are being financed through the Metro Parks’ general operating budget.
According to WSMV 4, the security companies Archangel Security and Allied Universal, who both train guards in active threat response, were contracted to patrol parks and facilities, which will also include, “marinas, community centers, and permitting offices.”
Reportedly funded through the Metro Parks budget for the 2026 fiscal year, the armed security began patrolling only days after U.S. Representative Andy Ogles (R-TN-05) suggested the Tennessee National Guard should be deployed in Nashville after it was included in a list of the cities with the most violent crime per capita, citing recent FBI data.
“Nashville ranks among the top 10 U.S. cities for crime; this cannot continue,” wrote Ogles in a post to the social media platform X.
In another, alluding to the recent pledge by President Donald Trump to deploy the National Guard, “We don’t just need the National Guard in Memphis, send them to Nashville. Comrade O’Connell is using the city as an outpost for international gangs to set up shop in our neighborhoods.”
While Trump said Memphis would be “early on the list” of cities to receive federal support, Governor Bill Lee recently said he has “no plans” to deploy the National Guard, and Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell confirmed that neither his administration nor Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake had asked for federal assistance.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Too little too late.