Nashville Community Oversight Board Already Having Friction with Police

 

Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson thus far will not meet with members of the Community Oversight Board and that is causing friction, according to Nashville Public Radio.

“The board’s goal is clear: to conduct independent investigations into police policies and allegations of misconduct. But without a formal agreement with the police, investigations have stalled, records requests have been denied, and board members have grown increasingly frustrated,” Nashville Public Radio reported.

“Anderson said he wasn’t to blame for the roadblocks. In a seven-page email he sent the night before the meeting, he said it was ‘unnecessary’ for him to attend the meeting.”

As The Tennessee Star reported, Nashville voters approved a civilian oversight board over police last November.

City officials created the board.

As reported, Nashville Fraternal Order of Police members have long said they have serious constitutional concerns about the board. FOP members have even said the board is “set up for some means of retaliation and retribution for a problem that doesn’t exist.”

According to Nashville Public Radio, COB members say they need help from members of the police department.

“That means being notified of any critical incident. It also means access to documents — lots of them — and, when the time comes, cooperation from officers under investigation,” the station reported.

“Up to this point, the board has been navigating its relationship with the department on a case-by-case basis, trying to deal with each crisis as it arises. It’s struggled to obtain public records and to gain access to the city’s emergency notification system.

Chief Anderson and Community Oversight Executive Director William Weeden have both shifted the blame.”

Nashville Public Radio went on to report that in two weeks board members will vote on a proposed memorandum of understanding.

“In two weeks, board members will vote on a proposed memorandum of understanding, which they hope will smooth out their partnership with police,” the station reported

“But board members believe they might need Mayor-elect John Cooper to resolve this dispute.”

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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Background Photo “Davidson Courthouse” by Michael Rivera. CC BY-SA 4.0.