Nashville Metro At-Large Council Member Steve Glover wondered this week if certain residents of Davidson County who lean right politically will have a say selecting a new police chief to replace the retiring Steve Anderson.
This, as Mayor John Cooper on Tuesday announced what he called a roadmap to finding a new chief. According to a press release, Cooper will rely on Metro Human Resources and a candidate review committee to narrow that person down.
Glover, on his Facebook page, said he wanted Cooper to consult with people he might not otherwise.
“I wonder if there will be any conservative voices allowed in this conversation,” Glover said.
“I only ask, because we have been completely ignored after we voted for him [Cooper] in the run off.”
Members of Cooper’s office did not return The Tennessee Star’s request for comment Wednesday.
Cooper, according to his plan, will use former President Barack Obama’s principles on 21st Century Policing to guide him. Those principles, among other things, warn against “overly aggressive law enforcement strategies” and encourages a diverse workforce that reflects community demographics.
Metro officials said in the press release they will advertise the police chief position in mid-August with, among others, the following groups:
• The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives
• The Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association
• The National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives
• The National Black Police Officers Association
As The Tennessee Star reported last month, COB members plan to help city officials find Nashville’s next police chief. Chief Anderson will retire in likely five months’ time. This, as reported, after left-wing activists and Metro Council members pushed for either Anderson to resign or for Cooper to fire him.
As reported, Anderson would not meet with COB members, and that caused friction. Nashville Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) 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.”
As The Star reported in April, COB members demanded that police officers stop asking people about their immigration and citizenship status.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “John Cooper Speaking” by nashville.gov.
No! He the Democrats got rid of the Police Chief so they could get someone woke or more Radical! IMO
Cooper will pick a transgendered man “of color “ with a degree in social justice.
“Cooper, according to his plan, will use former President Barack Obama’s principles on 21st Century Policing to guide him.”
Oh this should be stellar…..
/sarcasm
Are we at a biblical moment? In 2010, a flood destroyed much of Nashville. Ten years later, pick a police chief, who operates like the Minneapolis, Seattle, or Portland chiefs, and we’ll all be watching Nashville burn! Wonder if Cooper has been taking fiddle lessons?
But more importantly, aren’t “Metro officials” acting a bit racist? They are hiring a police “chief” and they don’t even consult and National Native American Law Enforcement Association! So much for being inclusive!
Collective bargaining has led to this, unions do not hold bad cops or bad teachers accountable. Have them carry insurance like physicians as a barrier to lawsuits and help police their own.
The only reason Cooper would allow a conservative to sit at the table is for window dressing. The selection will be a far left aggrieved person from an historically discriminated against group.
There is no collective bargaining here. Police officers cannot unionize in TN. Teachers can. Firefighters can. Civilian employees can. The FOP is a fraternal organization. It can voice concerns and rally members but has no legal collective bargaining rights.
The problem is civil service rules which bestow special privileges to gov’t employees. These rules are easy to change….but no one has the gumption. The teachers and civilian gov’t employees (Service Employees International Union) run Nashville and one does not get elected without kissing their rings. They set the standard and they WILL NOT tolerate a restrictive change.
we all know the #1 qualification for the new chief will be skin color, not experience or education or anything else.
Cooper is a POS. RECALL COOPER!