Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson Leaves Earlier than Expected

 

Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson has vacated his position much sooner than he previously stated he would — without explaining.

Nashville Mayor John Cooper in a press release this week announced Anderson’s departure.

Cooper announced that Thursday was Anderson’s final day commanding the department, according to the press release.

“Deputy Chief John Drake will assume command of the MNPD as Interim Chief beginning Friday, August 7, 2020 while the city continues its national search for a reform-minded Chief of Police who will make Nashville a model of community engagement and policing innovation,” the press release said.

“More details of the search process will be announced next week.”

As The Tennessee Star reported in June, Cooper announced that Anderson would officially retire later this year, around November or December. This, as reported, after left-wing activists and Metro Council members pushed for either Anderson to resign or for Cooper to fire him.

Yes, Every Kid

As reported, members of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee also called on Anderson to resign. In particular, ACLU members expressed frustration with Anderson’s alleged refusal to collaborate with the Community Oversight Board, which was established in 2018. This, after the deaths of Jocques Clemmons and Daniel Hambrick. The board has independent authority to investigate allegations of misconduct against the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.

As The Star reported last week, 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.

This, as Cooper 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.

Cooper has said he 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 encourage a diverse workforce that reflects community demographics.

– – –

Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Steve Anderson” by Nashville.gov.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Related posts

7 Thoughts to “Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson Leaves Earlier than Expected”

  1. John

    Nashville is one step closer to Detroit. Move out while your property still has value.

  2. Dave

    The Left hates law enforcement because it’s one of the last large nationwide organizations left that is still overwhelmingly conservative. Which is why democrap party funded anarchists are rioting in liberal run cities & demanding that the police are defunded & abolished.

  3. Ron Welch

    Perhaps he didn’t agree to having the officers under his direction being forced to work overtime to give citations and follow up with arrests on persons for not wearing masks on the streets of Nashville. That’s especially true when these orders were not Metro ordinances passed by the Metro Council or State laws passed by the Legislature in order to be lawful citations and arrests. After a 45 year career in law enforcement, it’s understandable that Chief Anderson didn’t want to end presiding over unlawful citations and arrests.

  4. MAGA

    I’m sure they’d rather have a transgendered man with ties to the Communist Party.

  5. rick

    Commie Cooper has to have a puppet, black or female, qualifications do not matter, Drake (the interim chief) has already said he wanted to build bridges in neighborhoods by giving ice cream and feeding people , what a moron, but he is qualified because he is black. If Nashville can survive Cooper after Berry and Briley it will be amazing. Cooper said he will use Barack Obama’s policing policy, what a loser, Cooper is a disaster. Democrats are a disaster!

  6. Julie

    He was likely feeling unwelcome, he probably wasn’t far left like Mayor Cooper. Expect Cooper to continue to purge people like Steve Anderson and replace with those from every minority special interest group he can find.

  7. Mikey

    So they got rid of the white guy and now have a black police chief. Everything is gonna be sunshine and rainbows now right?

Comments