Tag: Metro Nashville Police Department

Tennessee Ranks As One of Worst States in Which to be a Law Enforcement Officer

Jason M. Reynolds

  Tennessee is near the bottom of the list when it comes to best states to be a police officer, according to a new ranking. Tennessee is 45 of 51 (including Washington, D.C.) of top states in which to be a policeman, according to a ranking by WalletHub. In the past decade, over 1,500 police officers, including 158 in 2018, died in the line of duty. Tens of thousands more were assaulted and injured. Tennessee was No. 31 for opportunity and competition, 39 for job hazards and protections, and 47 for quality of life, according to WalletHub. Those dimensions were evaluated using 27metrics on a 100-point scale. A 100 is the most favorable condition. Regarding the ranking, Nashville mayoral candidate Carol Swain said in a statement, “A new independent study out today ranks Tennessee one of the worst states in the country to be a police officer. Nashville residents continue to face serious crime that threatens our personal safety and harms local businesses, yet Mayor Briley’s administration has hung our first responders out to dry, with police and fire departments that are understaffed, overworked, and underpaid. Nashville can do better!” James Smallwood, president of the Nashville Fraternal Order of Police,…

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Nashville’s Community Oversight Board to Offer Executive Director Job to Chicago Civil Rights Lawyer William Weeden

Jason M. Reynolds

Nashville’s community oversight board has turned to someone outside of the community – Chicago, to be exact – to lead the organization’s oversight of police. The oversight board voted Tuesday to offer the executive director job to Chicago attorney William Weeden, Nashville Public Radio said. The board selected Weeden over four other finalists. Weeden is a civil rights attorney and a former prosecutor and professor of law. He served eight years as a leader of the Independent Police Review Authority in Chicago, Nashville Public Radio said. Metro Nashville’s website says the board has the power to investigate allegations that MNPD officers have committed misconduct against members of the public. That’s not all of its powers: The Board has the option to forward resolution reports that produce factual findings of criminal misconduct and civil rights violations to the District Attorney, Grand Jury, or U.S. Attorney. The Board shall have all powers, including the power to compel, identified in Section 18.10 of the Metropolitan Charter. A biography on Weeden’s law practice website says his previous stints included working for the Cook County (Illinois) State’s Attorney Office and serving as Assistant Attorney General in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, where he prosecuted felony…

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Nashville Promises, Once Again, to Give Rank and File Workers Cost of Living Adjustment Increase

Jason M. Reynolds

Metro Nashville’s rank and file workers may receive a cost-of-living raise that the city has long promised but failed to deliver after a contentious budget process last year. Nashville Mayor David Briley on Monday announced a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) of 3 percent for all Metro employees in FY 2020, starting with the new budget on July 1. “After a year when we had to put out a tight budget – which was a disappointment to me – I am proud to say that we can now give Metro employees the cost-of-living adjustment they deserve,” Briley said. “I would like all the men and women who work for our city to know that I deeply appreciate everything they do for residents throughout Nashville and Davidson County.” Briley said he will recommend funding step and open-range increases in the budget he will submit to Metro Council by May 1. If the rank and file employees do receive the COLA, they will be playing catch-up with Briley’s inner circle. The Tennessee Star reported last September that Briley gave merit raises to 20 members of his own staff. Two of the mayor’s staff received 6 percent increases. Briley said in his press release that…

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Metro Nashville Students So Out of Control Teachers Fear for Their Lives, SROs Fleeing from Alternative Schools, Educators, Officials Say

Jason M. Reynolds

“Chaos” is one word used by a teacher to describe student behavior in Metro Nashville Schools during a shocking town hall discussion hosted by Phil Williams of NewsChannel 5. A story about the town hall discussion is available here. “There’s no accountability for the students,” one teacher said. Metro Nashville Schools Superintendent Dr. Shawn Joseph is trying to reduce the number of students who receive suspensions. His policy, especially aimed at minorities, is blamed. Retired teacher Karen Gordon told Williams one of her former students was one of the youths who was arrested in connection to the murder of musician Kyle Yorlets. The district does not respect teachers’ opinions and does not give them resources to handle troubled students, they said. One shared how her principal laughed over her receiving a death threat. Joseph has generated his own controversy. The Tennessee Star reported last May that his playing explicit rap music during a principals meeting led to a civil rights complaint by a female school board member because the song “Blow the Whistle” degrades women. The Star also reported on a NewsChannel 5 story last August that Joseph ducked a reporter’s questions about alleged sexual harassment and coverups in the…

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Community Mourns Nashville Musician Allegedly Slain by 5 Youths in Robbery

Jason M. Reynolds

A memorial service was held Monday at Belmont University to honor alumnus Kyle Yorlets, a musician who was shot and killed during a robbery allegedly committed by five youths, one of them as young as 12. Yorlets, 24, allegedly was shot on Thursday, Feb. 7 by two boys and three girls after he refused to give them the keys to his car, NewsChannel 5 said. Yorlets was in the band Carverton. They posted a tribute on Twitter that said in part, “On February 7, 2019 we lost our brother, best friend, and bandmate Kyle Yorlets. We are in a state of shock and are having to grasp the reality that is now in front of us. We are heartbroken. Our condolences for his family and loved ones and all the lives that he touched. We will never forget Kyle, and though he is gone too soon his legacy is here to stay.” https://twitter.com/CarvertonBand/status/1093899923299405825 At the memorial service, people remembered Yorlets as someone full of wit and talent and who cared about people, Billboard said. The publication also reported: Michael Wiebell is the bassist for Yorlets’ band, Carverton. He said in an interview before the memorial that since Yorlets’ death, they…

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Grand Jury Indicts Metro Nashville Police Officer Delke on First-Degree Murder Charge in Hambrick Shooting

Jason M. Reynolds

A grand jury indicted Metro Nashville Police Department Officer Andrew Delke on a charge of first-degree murder in the shooting of Daniel Hambrick. District Attorney Glenn Funk’s office announced the decision Friday, Nashville Public Radio (WPLN) said. The case will be tried in the Criminal Court of Davidson County, NewsChannel 5 said. Delke, who is out on bond, will plead not guilty. Judge Melissa Blackburn decided at the preliminary hearing two weeks ago there was probable cause to bound the case over to the grand jury. This is the first time an on-duty Nashville police officer has been indicted for a fatal shooting, WPLN said, quoting a police spokesperson. NewsChannel 5 said Delke has been decommissioned but remains on administrative assignment. Arraignment is expected in seven to 10 days. The shooting has been fraught with racial undertones. WTN radio’s Dan Mandis tried to hold a reasoned debate last August with Joy Kimbrough, the attorney representing the Hambrick family, The Tennessee Star reported at the time. The audio of Mandis’ intervew on Super Talk 99.7 is available here. Video of the shooting is available here on the Nashville Scene. Kimbrough used what Mandis called “inflammatory language” repeatedly even as he said…

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James Smallwood Commentary: Following Vital Police Training Is Never a Crime

Admin

by James Smallwood   This week, Americans showed their respect and support of local police by celebrating National Law Enforcement Appreciation day. Many government officials recognized this celebration by issuing proclamations, offering tributes, and declaring their admiration for the men and women who keep us safe. Here in Nashville, District Attorney Glenn Funk celebrated by comparing Metro police to Nazis. While outrageous, that slur isn’t the worst of his actions toward police. His politically motivated decision to charge Metro Nashville Police Officer Andrew Delke with a crime for doing precisely what he and every other police officer in Tennessee are trained to do is an attack on law enforcement itself. Sadly, Mr. Funk’s decision may result in more police officers being hurt and killed in the line of duty. Punishing – in this case prosecuting – an officer who follows official training guidelines leads to danger, even disaster. In 2016, a female Chicago police officer was savagely beaten and had her face smashed repeatedly into the pavement by a man high on the drug PCP. While she believed she was going to die from the horrific beating, the officer ignored her training and didn’t shoot the man because “she didn’t…

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Metro Nashville Police Officers Begin Test Run of Expensive Body Cameras

Jason M. Reynolds

Metro Nashville plans to roll out body cameras on all officers in 2019, adding another costly layer of regulation to law enforcement. A few officers began testing body cams last week, Nashville Public Radio said. The city and community advocates have pushed for this oversight since at least 2016. The need to follow detailed city procurement procedures with specific timelines in the request for proposal is one reason the process is taking time. The program involves multiple rounds of solicitations, according to the city’s RFP. The plan is to provide cameras to place on 1,500 officers as well as on 870 car dashboards. Video would be stored either on-site or on the cloud. [pdf-embedder url=”https://tennesseestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/NashvilleRFP.pdf”] Mayor David Briley earmarked $15 million for the program, but the final cost is not clear, NewsChannel 5 said. The District Attorney’s office has asked for 49 more workers just to handle film footage for court. A total of 21 officers are using the body and dash cams on a 90-day test run, WSMV said. This comes more than a year after the Metro Nashville Police Department first tried testing body cams. A Nashville Fraternal Order of Police representative said that officers will welcome the…

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Nashville FOP Demands PAC Stop Using Officer Likenesses to Advocate for Civilian Oversight Board

Jason M. Reynolds

The Fraternal Order of Police sent a cease-and-desist letter to Accountability Matters PAC, saying the group used police officers’ images without permission to support Amendment 1 (setting up a civilian oversight board). The commercial uses photographs of several Metro Nashville Police Department officers without their permission, James Smallwood, president of Andrew Jackson Lodge No. 5 of the FOP, said in a press release. The commercial also depicts the MNPD officers as proponents of Amendment 1. The officers shown without their consent in the video are opposed to Amendment 1 and were mad to learn their picture was being used without their consent. [pdf-embedder url=”https://tennesseestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/FOP-letter-cease-and-desist_.pdf”] “Today, on behalf of the officers, we sent the … cease and desist letter to Comcast demanding that they immediately stop airing the Accountability Matters commercial that uses the likeness of our officers without their consent. We expect Comcast will pull the commercial immediately and force Accountability Matters to remove the unauthorized photographs from its commercial,” Smallwood said in the press release. “It is troubling that Accountability Matters placed the officers of the MNPD in a position where they are potentially violating not only federal law but MNPD policy that prohibits appearing in uniform for political…

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Police Civilian Oversight Board Redundant, Expensive, Denies Due Process of Officers: FOP President

Jason M. Reynolds

A civilian oversight board for the Nashville Metro Police Department “sounds like a warm and fuzzy,” but one expert says that is not the case. James Smallwood is president of the Nashville Fraternal Order of Police. “People immediately think, ‘Well, that’s a great idea,’” Smallwood told The Tennessee Star this week. A circuit court judge in September ruled against the Fraternal Order of Police in a lawsuit the group filed trying to throw out a referendum to establish a community board overseeing Metro Police, News Channel 5 said. Once you get into the minutiae, it becomes apparent the Amendment 1 initiative that is on the Nov. 6 ballot will have a “massive cost” of $10 million over five years, Smallwood said. That is more expensive than any comparable civilian oversight board in the nation. That is not a viable option when the city is in dire financial straits. The board also would be redundant, he said. There are at least eight layers of oversight of Metro Police already, including civilian and government agencies. The new board would not give police equal representation – there are no regulations on who can sit on the board, other than they cannot be officers or married…

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Hambrick Family Attorney Goes Off the Rails in WTN Interview on Police Shooting

Jason M. Reynolds

WTN radio’s Dan Mandis tried to hold a reasoned debate with the attorney representing the family of a man who was shot and killed by Metro Nashville Police last month. Mandis hosted attorney Joy Kimbrough on his Super Talk 99.7 program Monday. The audio is available here. Kimbrough represents the family of Daniel Hambrick. Video shows Metro Officer Andrew Delke shooting and killing Hambrick as he was running away on July 26, News Channel 5 said. The video is available here on the Nashville Scene. The surveillance video obtained from nearby Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School shows the shooting near the intersection of 17th Avenue North and Jo Johnston Avenue on the evening of July 26, the Scene said. Criminal history Hambrick had several pending serious criminal charges at the time he was shot, Fox 17 News said. His prior convictions include felony aggravated robbery, misdemeanor assault, possession or casual exchange, felon in possession of a weapon, drugs in a drug-free school zone, resisting arrest and more. [pdf-embedder url=”https://tennesseestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Daniel-Hambrick-Arrest-History.pdf” title=”Daniel Hambrick Arrest History”]   On the rap sheet, the following initials mean: PEND-pending DROS- Dismissed request of the state GLC-Guilty of Lesser Charge DIS- Dismissed GUI-Guilty CONC-Concluded Mayor David Briley last…

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Anti-ICE Protest Strains Nashville Police, While Bredesen Stays Quiet on Threat To City Where He Was Once Mayor

Jason M. Reynolds
CoreCivic protesting ICE

The Metro Nashville Police Department reported it arrested 20 anti-ICE protesters Monday, pulling officers away from their regular duties. Meanwhile, Democratic Senate candidate Phil Bredesen has been silent about the public safety issue. Dozens of protesters descended on the Green Hills headquarters of private prison company CoreCivic and blocked the entrance, the department said in a press release. Ten of those arrested had chained themselves together. Five of those arrested were from Nashville. Those charged are named in the press release. CoreCivic has contracts with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Nashville Scene said. Jeannie Alexander of the No Exceptions Prison Collective, told the Scene that the group is protesting in solidarity with others occupying ICE offices across the country. “But what’s unique about Nashville is that we’re the only city in the United States that has the headquarters of CoreCivic,” Alexander told the Scene. “ICE is their biggest customer. And the way the prison industrial complex continues to grow and [what makes] targeting immigrant families so much easier is that corporations like CoreCivic are building internment camps and they’re profiting off of it.” While Alexander’s group spent its time protesting, Nashville’s police force spent its resources protecting the…

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6 Shootings in Nashville in 24 Hours Highlight Double-Digit Increases in Violent Crimes

Jason M. Reynolds
Nashville Police

Officers with the Metro Nashville Police Department responded to at least six unrelated shootings in less than 24 hours, NewsChannel 5 reported Saturday. Meanwhile, police report a spike in violent crimes in the state’s capital. The first shooting happened around 10:30 p.m. Friday on Joseph Avenue at Riverchase Apartments. Officials said the 50-year-old female victim told them she was standing in her doorway when a man in a dark car started firing a gun, hitting her in her hand. The other shootings were: Around 12:15 a.m. Saturday, an apartment in the 2100 block of Waterford Circle, when reports stated a man in his 20s said he accidentally shot himself one time in the thigh with a pistol. At 1 a.m. Saturday, in the1300 block of Bellshire Terrace. After 1:30 a.m. Saturday, a group of young male suspects approached another group and began shooting. Police said the victims had been hanging out near 21st Avenue South. Saturday, around 5 p.m., officials said a juvenile showed up at the hospital with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to his leg from an accidental discharge. Around 7 p.m. Saturday, an 18-year-old was shot, and the suspect also allegedly took his backpack. Murders rise 33.73 percent The…

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Bird Scooter Company’s Efforts to Wing It Makes Metro Nashville Mad as a Wet Hen

Jason M. Reynolds

Some are saying that rental scooters in Nashville pose a safety concern following a hit and run crash Sunday. Metro Nashville Police were searching for a black Lexus sedan that allegedly hit and critically injured two Bird scooter riders Sunday at Fifth Avenue North and Union Street, a police press release said. The Lexus appears to be a mid-2000s model ES 330 or ES 300, police said. It sustained noticeable front end damage. Central Precinct officers responded to the crash at 5:25 p.m. Sunday, police said. The preliminary investigation shows that the scooters were traveling north on Fifth Avenue North while the Lexus was traveling west on Union Street. The car allegedly struck the scooters in the intersection and continued traveling west on Union Street. There are conflicting reports as to whether the Lexus or the scooters had the red light. The injured women are identified as Lindsey Cowan, 28, of Knoxville, and Rachel Johnson, 27, of Oak Ridge, police said. Neither rider was wearing a helmet. Both women were being treated at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The Tennessean reported the women were riding Bird rental scooters. The company behind the scooters began offering them for rent following the defeat of the light rail transit…

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Mayor Barry’s Alleged ‘Off the Clock’ Adultery Has Public Implications for City Government Operations

Chris Alto

Since publicly admitting to concealing her two year adulterous relationship with Sgt. Robert Forrest while he was an active duty Metro police officer and head of her security detail, Mayor Megan Barry has tried to convince the public that what she claims was an “off the clock” private affair, has no negative implications for the city’s government operations. During the time her extramarital affair was active and she was traveling on publicly-paid for business trips alone with Sgt. Forrest, at home Mayor Barry was officiating at public events including the December 2017 graduation ceremony for 49 new Nashville police officers. Standing before the new officers, the Mayor offered her congratulations and then administered the oath of office asking them to swear to uphold the Charter and Code of Laws of the Metro Nashville government and to: serve the Metro Government of Nashville/Davidson County, Tennessee honestly and faithfully and I will obey the orders of the officials placed over me according to the law. Earlier in December 2017, Mayor Barry administered the same oath to the Nashville Fire Department graduates. Both the Mayor’s 2016 Executive Order 005 and Metro’s Code of Laws Section 2.222 govern “Standards of Conduct” for all Metro employees including the…

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Young Man Fatally Shot on Nashville MTA Bus

Wendy Wilson

An 18-year-old has been charged in the fatal shooting Monday of another 18-year-old on a Nashville Metro Transit Authority (MTA) bus in Madison. Antonio S. Jones is charged with criminal homicide in the fatal shooting of his acquaintance, Tyvonceea Hayden. The shooting happened at noon as the bus was traveling on Gallatin Pike, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release. Jones and Hayden, who apparently had been dating someone in Jones’ family, had both boarded the bus a short time earlier outside the Madison Library. The two young men exchanged only a few words before the shooting, witnesses said. After the bus pulled over at MTA’s Gallatin Pike/Due West Avenue stop, Jones and his girlfriend, who was carrying an infant, fled the bus in opposite directions. The girlfriend was detained by officers on Due West Avenue. A relative drove Jones to the police department’s East Precinct, where he surrendered. He was taken to the Madison Precinct, where he declined to be interviewed. According to WKRN News 2, this has been “the deadliest year for teens, surpassing even 2015 when Metro police said Nashville had a youth violence problem. Twenty-three teens aged 19 and under have been murdered this year, while…

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Eight Arrested After Fight at Music City Central Bus Station in Downtown Nashville

Wendy Wilson

Eight young people were arrested Tuesday afternoon outside the Music City Central bus station in downtown Nashville as a result of a physical altercation. Some resisted arrest when police arrived. Patricia Hill, 18, allegedly struck an officer in the face and continued to struggle with him until taken into custody, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release. The officer was taken to a hospital, where he was treated and released for eye and knee injuries. Hill was charged with assault, resisting arrest and disorderly conduct, and was jailed on a $4,500 bond. Also arrested, and charged with disorderly conduct, were Kevin Haynes, 18, and James Scales Jr., 24. In addition, three males and two females ages 15-17, were arrested for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and criminal trespassing. Some critics of Nashville Mayor Megan Barry’s $5.2 billion mass transit plan have raised concerns about the potential for greater criminal activity if the project goes forward. They point to past problems at the Music City Central bus station and worry they could surface elsewhere on public transportation and at transit stations. Barry’s plan calls for expanded bus service and light rail. Last year, four teens were injured in a shooting at…

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No Road Closures Planned For Monday’s Eclipse, Nashville Authorities Say

Wendy Wilson

No eclipse-related road closures are planned for Monday, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department press release issued this week. Authorities are cautioning people to be aware of moving traffic and not get distracted by viewing the eclipse. “Nashville has a number of places to safely watch and enjoy next Monday’s total solar eclipse. Interstates and the travel lanes of busy city streets ARE NOT among them,” the press release said. “Citizens are strongly cautioned against walking into streets or stopping on an interstate to view the eclipse.” Nashvillians and visitors are encouraged to plan where they intend to watch the eclipse and head there early. Among the local places for eclipse viewing are: Adventure Science Center, 800 Fort Negley Boulevard Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, 3777 Nolensville Pike First Tennessee Park, 19 Jr Gilliam Way Centennial Park, 2500 West End Avenue Radnor Lake, 1160 Otter Creek Road Edwin & Percy Warner Parks, located off Highway 100 Cedar Hill Park, 860 Old Hickory Boulevard in Madison Beaman Park, 5911 Old Hickory Boulevard Shelby Bottoms, 1900 Davidson Street Shelby Park, Shelby Avenue at S. 20th Street Peeler Park, off Neelys Bend Road in Madison Bells Bend Outdoor Center, 4187 Old Hickory Boulevard Bicentennial…

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Nashville Hillsboro High School Student Arrested On Gun Charges

Wendy Wilson

A Hillsboro High School senior was arrested Friday morning on gun charges after allegedly pointing a pistol at two other students from his car as school dismissed Wednesday. Monday was the first day of the new school year for students in Metro Nashville Public Schools. Hillsboro High is located in Green Hills. The two victims told school resource officers about the incident Thursday afternoon, according to a news release from the Metro Nashville Police Department. Friday morning, an officer waited in the school parking lot for the 17-year-old to arrive. As the student got out of his car, the officer took him into custody. A loaded .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol was found during a search of the student’s car concealed under the dashboard. The 17-year-old was taken to juvenile detention. He was charged with aggravated assault and unlawful gun possession.

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72-Year-Old Nashville Man Shoots And Kills Attacker In Self-Defense

Wendy Wilson

A 72-year-old Nashville man shot and fatally wounded a man in self-defense last week during an attempted robbery. A second male assailant fled with the mortally wounded suspect after the shooting. “They didn’t know who they were messing with,” Robert James Johnson told WKRN News 2 “They messed with the wrong person that day.” Johnson was ambushed after trying to do a good deed Wednesday afternoon by helping a young woman living on the streets who later was arrested for facilitating the crime. Molena Holt, 26, asked Johnson to drive her to Springfield, Tennessee, and Johnson agreed. She asked that he first stop at Madison Manor Apartments so she could pick up some clothes. Police say that after she got out and walked behind a building, the two men allegedly approached Johnson, still in his car, and demanded money at gunpoint, punching him in the neck and taking his wallet. Johnson took out a handgun from his pocket and fired, fatally wounding Randall Caradine, 46, of 12th Avenue South, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department press release. The second unidentified suspect drove the wounded Caradine to a nearby auto repair shop and told employees to call 911. He pulled Cardine from…

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Metro Nashville Police Help People Beat the Heat With Free Ice Cream Treats

Wendy Wilson

Tuesday was a scorching hot day, but some Nashvillians got a chance to cool off thanks to police officers handing out free ice cream. Donations from Thrivent Financial enabled officers to travel around the North Precinct to give away frozen treats. They were joined on their mission by representatives from Thrivent. The ice cream team covered ground from Joelton to North Nashville in what was called Operation Pol-ice Cream, according to WKRN News 2. Officers went door to door in search of kids and adults and found many takers for their offer. “This is a way to get to know an officer and remember that we’re here to serve,” Commander Terrence Graces told WKRN. Greg Bancroft, community engagement leader with Thrivent, said Thrivent had approached the Metro Nashville Police Department some time ago to see if there was anything they could do to help the force. The department suggested something for kids, such as an ice cream social. “I said, oh, we can help with that,” Bancroft recalled.  

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Justice for Jocques Coalition Angry With Nashville City Officials Over Officer Shooting

Wendy Wilson

The Justice for Jocques Coalition held a town hall meeting Saturday at which they slammed Nashville city officials for what they perceive as injustice in the case of a white police officer who fatally shot an armed black man. Officer Josh Lippert was found to be acting in self-defense in the Feb. 10 shooting of Jocques Scott Clemmons. Called “The People’s Town Hall,” Saturday’s event was held at First Baptist Church South Inglewood. City officials were invited to attend. District Attorney Glenn Funk and Mayor Megan Barry sent representatives who listened but referred concerns to Funk and Barry directly. The Metro Nashville Police Department did not send anyone. “When is the mayor going to be the mayor and handle the police chief?,” said Davie Tucker, pastor of Beech Creek Missionary Baptist Church, according to NewsChannel 5. “When is the DA going to be the DA and be the chief prosecutor in this jurisdiction and stop allowing the police to do it?” Clemmons was shot by Lippert at the Cayce Homes public housing development in East Nashville after the officer saw Clemmons run a stop sign, which led to a foot chase, physical confrontation and Clemmons pointing a gun toward the officer.…

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Police Chief Steve Anderson Rebukes District Attorney’s Office For ‘Misstatements’ About Handling Of Officer Shooting

Wendy Wilson

Police Chief Steve Anderson has slammed the Nashville district attorney’s office for criticizing the police department’s handling of the Feb. 10 fatal shooting of an armed black man by a white officer acting in self-defense. In a report and at a press conference last week, officials with the district attorney’s office criticized the language the Metro Nashville Police Department used in a report and for supposedly concluding only several hours after the incident that the shooting was justifiable and saying the investigation was complete. While District Attorney Glenn Funk concluded that Officer Josh Lippert did act in self-defense in shooting Jocques Scott Clemmons, the report released by his office said the police department contributed to an appearance of bias in the case, which provoked a strong reaction in the community and raised questions of fairness. WKRN News 2 reported that in a letter Monday to Deputy District Attorney Amy Hunter, who spoke at the May 11 press conference, Anderson said his department had provided the district attorney’s office in advance with an explanation of the language used in the police report, adding that police follow guidelines from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Anderson said Hunter’s statement at the press conference, taken…

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Tennessee Human Rights Commission Compliance Director Charged With Child Sex Crimes

Wendy Wilson

A compliance director for the Tennessee Human Rights Commission has been charged with sexual exploitation of minors. Christopher Matthew Stephenson, 42, is accused of accessing child pornography on the social networking website Tumblr using an IP address registered to his Antioch address, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release. Police obtained a search warrant and seized his electronic devices. Sexual images of minors were found on the equipment, the news release said. Police were acting on a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Stephenson surrendered for booking Tuesday on a sealed grand jury indictment charging him with two counts of sexual exploitation of minors and one count of aggravated sexual exploitation of minors. The two sexual exploitation counts allege that Stephenson possessed sexual images of children.  The aggravated sexual exploitation count alleges that he electronically distributed the material.  He is not accused of producing child pornography. Stephenson is being held on a $500,000 bond.  He will be soon be arraigned in criminal court. The Tennessee Human Rights Commission is an independent state agency created in 1963 to encourage, promote and advise the public of their human rights, according to its website. The commission became an enforcement…

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Nashville DA Calls Police ‘Insensitive’ For Using Word ‘Suspect’ To Describe Armed Black Man Shot By Officer

Wendy Wilson

  The Nashville district attorney’s office says police were “insensitive” when in their reports they referred to an armed black man shot by an officer in self-defense as a suspect. The criticism is found in a report issued last week by District Attorney Glenn Funk on the Feb. 10 shooting of Jocques Scott Clemmons by Josh Lippert, a white officer with the Metro Nashville Police Department. “Identifying the officer as the victim and Mr. Clemmons as the suspect sends a message that could be perceived as biased, and seems insensitive because no charges could be brought against Mr. Clemmons,” the report says. “To label the parties in this manner, particularly in the beginning stages of the investigation, could create an appearance to the public that the investigation was biased.” While the district attorney’s office determined Lippert acted in self-defense and will not pursue criminal charges against him, its report was critical of the police department’s handling of the case and recommended steps to eliminate any appearance of bias in the future and ensure minorities are treated fairly. In future cases, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation will alone conduct a thorough criminal investigation when an MNPD officer’s use of force results…

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Nashville’s Citizen Police Academy Offers Inside Look At Law Enforcement

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  The Metro Nashville Police Department is accepting applications for its next Citizen Police Academy, which offers Nashville area residents an inside look at local law enforcement. The summer session, to be held at the Hermitage precinct, begins Monday, June 12. The free course runs 12 weeks. The program will feature various guest speakers, including members of the police department’s specialized units. Topics will include gangs, narcotics enforcement, domestic violence, traffic/DUI enforcement, internet crimes, emergency preparedness, crime prevention and the judicial process. There will also be tours of the Emergency Communications Center and demonstrations by the aviation, canine and mounted units. “The Citizen Police Academy provides a unique view of this department and Nashville’s law enforcement professionals,” said Chief Steve Anderson in a news release.  “We invite folks from all neighborhoods to consider applying.  Class members will come away each week with knowledge about police work that they didn’t have before.”  It will be the 37th session of the Citizen Police Academy since the popular program began in 1995. Classes will be held on Monday nights from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. through August 28th in the community room of the Hermitage precinct, located at 3701 James Kay Lane.  Class size is…

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Nashville Police Officer Won’t Be Charged In Shooting Of Armed Black Man

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  A white Nashville police officer who fatally shot an armed black man in February won’t face charges, District Attorney Glenn Funk announced at a press conference Thursday. The case drew accusations of racial bias but Funk said the officer acted in self-defense because the man would not comply with requests to drop his pistol. However, officials in the district attorney’s office are criticizing the police department for creating the appearance of bias for labeling the shooting justifiable before a thorough investigation could take place. Funk is also calling attention to a study purporting to show disparities in traffic stops and searches. “For Nashville to move forward, all law enforcement, including my office, must take steps to enhance fairness and confidence in the criminal justice system,” Funk said in a related report, according to WKRN News Channel 2. Officer Josh Lippert shot Jocques Scott Clemmons on Feb. 10 at the Cayce Homes public housing development. Lippert had wanted to talk to Clemmons about running a nearby stop sign, according to a Feb. 10 Metro Nashville Police Department news release. But Clemmons, appearing to clutch something in his waistband, ran away from the Lippert when the officer pulled up to his SUV…

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Memorial Service Held For Nashville Police Killed in the Line of Duty

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  NASHVILLE, Tennessee–An annual memorial service was held Wednesday in downtown Nashville to honor fallen law enforcement officers and to show appreciation for the police who daily protect the public at risk to their own lives. The event was sponsored by the Andrew Jackson Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police and took place at First Baptist Church. The memorial was also held to observe National Police Week, which is May 14-20. Nashville Mayor Megan Barry thanked officers for putting their lives on their line. “We can never thank you enough for what you do for all of us every day,” said Barry, who also expressed gratitude to the families of officers for their sacrifices. In his speech, Steve Anderson, chief of the Metro Nashville Police Department, spoke of Eric Mumaw, the officer to die most recently in the line of duty. Mumaw drowned Feb. 2 while trying to save a drunk and suicidal woman whose car plunged into the Cumberland River in Madison. The woman has been charged in his death. “If wealth were measured in friendships, Eric would have been wealthy beyond belief,” Anderson said. Anderson told of a young boy whom Mumaw befriended through a program that…

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Patriots Outnumber Antifa At Peaceful Nashville May Day Protest

Wendy Wilson

  NASHVILLE, Tennessee–A small band of Antifa protesters showed up for a May Day demonstration Monday at Nashville’s downtown Public Square Park, but they were far outnumbered by flag-waving American patriots. Antifa, which stands for anti-fascist, is a movement that has led in recent months to violent clashes and arrests in other cities across the country, especially in California. A far left socialist movement, Antifa rails against capitalism and broadly characterizes those with opposing views as fascist. Monday was a day of left-leaning and socialist protests across the nation on behalf of workers and immigrants. Officers with the Metro Nashville Police Department were out in force late Monday afternoon and efficiently managed the crowds at Public Square Park, preventing the demonstration from spinning out of control. There were only about a dozen Antifa protesters in addition to a handful of other left-leaning protesters. The Antifa protesters covered their faces with bandanas and some carried baseball bats. The patriots were the first to arrive and stood in military-like formation to greet the arriving Antifa protesters, who then took to the steps of the courthouse. Police on bicycles formed a barricade between the two groups and later police on motorcycles arrived. The…

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Metro Nashville Police Forced To School People In The Obvious: Don’t Leave Your Keys In Your Car

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  It seems like it should go without saying. But Metro Nashville police find themselves having to remind people to remove their keys from their cars when they park. A review of stolen vehicle reports in Nashville from March 26 through April 1 showed that 39 of 49, or 80 percent, of vehicles taken were easy targets because the keys were left or made available to thieves, according to a MNPD news release. Even more shocking: 17 of the 49 vehicles stolen were left running without the driver present. The problem is nothing new, especially at convenience stores. In 2000, the MNPD launched a program called Park Smart! and began putting up signs at convenience markets to remind people of the obvious. And they still need reminding. The recent news release said that the police department “strongly urges citizens to lock their automobile doors, secure any valuables and REMOVE THE KEYS.”      

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Police Padlock Motel in South Nashville as Public Nuisance

Wendy Wilson

Police raided and padlocked The Thrifty Inn in South Nashville on Friday after responding to hundreds of calls over the past three years. From January 2014 through this March, police responded to 586 calls about illegal drug sales, domestic disturbances and shots fired, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release. The motel is located on Harding Pike near I-24. “The Thrifty Inn has proven to be a drain on resources,” said Police Chief Steven Anderson. “The men and women of the South Precinct work to protect a 70 square mile are. It is not fair to other neighborhoods and businesses when we have to keep sending officers to the same place for the same issues, over and over, for years.” The motel was declared a public nuisance in a temporary injunction and padlocking order issued by Criminal Court Judge Steve Dozier after the district attorney’s office filed suit. The order directed that the entire property be vacated and that motel owner Kiranbhai Patel appear before the judge Wednesday morning. On Friday as the motel was being closed, several agencies were available to provide guests with assistance, including transportation to another motel. Registration fees paid in advance by confirmed…

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UPDATE: SUSPECT ARRESTED – Police Searching For Man Believed To Be Homeless Suspected Of Attacking Woman In Belmont Area

Wendy Wilson

UPDATE: Police apprehended Jason Williams at 4:35 p.m. Tuesday off Whitsett Road in South Nashville after a foot chase through a creek bed and culvert.  Police responded to the area after a citizen on Collier Avenue saw Williams emerge from her home crawl space at 4 p.m. Police spotted Williams as he ran through the neighborhood. He ultimately surrendered and will be booked into jail on charges of especially aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery.  ORIGINAL ARTICLE Police are looking for a man they believe to be homeless suspected of brutally raping, kidnapping and robbing a young woman in the Belmont area Monday morning. Jason Jarrell Williams, 31, is accused of attacking the 25-year-old victim in her Portland Avenue apartment around 4 a.m., according to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release. The door to her apartment may have been unlocked, allowing him to enter, police say. Police say Williams inflicted superficial cuts on the victim with what they believe was a razor blade and then repeatedly sexually assaulted her. He later made her leave the apartment and ride with him in her vehicle to a bank ATM where he forced her to withdraw cash. After driving to the…

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Police Search For Killer of Ethiopian Restaurant Owner in Targeted Murder

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  Police continue to search for the masked gunman responsible for the targeted murder of an Ethiopian restaurant owner in Nashville. Gitem Demissie, 41, was preparing to close his Ibex Ethiopian Bar & Restaurant on Murfreesboro Pike when he was killed around midnight Saturday, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release. A witness said a masked gunman wearing a black long sleeve shirt and black jeans walked in, approached Demissie and shot him multiple times. He then fled the building. Demissie was pronounced dead upon arrival at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The witness said the murderer had light skin, a thin build and is about 5’7″ tall. The person’s race is not yet known. Police do not know why Demissie was targeted and are investigating his background to see if he had been involved in any recent conflicts. Anyone with relevant information about Demissie or who may be responsible for his murder is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 615-742-7463. Callers to Crime Stoppers can remain anonymous and qualify for a cash reward. People can also send an electronic tip by texting the word “CASH” along with the message to 274637 (CRIMES), or online at www.nashvillecrimestoppers.com.  

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Three Teens Arrested In Nashville For Robbing Cab Driver At Gunpoint

Wendy Wilson

Three teens were arrested Friday morning after allegedly robbing a cab driver at gunpoint outside a Nashville apartment building. The suspects fled after the incident on Glastonbury Road near I-40 and Briley Parkway. Police deployed spike strips on I-40 East near Old Hickory Boulevard to stop their vehicle. Jose Calderon-Auguilar, 17, Victor Hernandez, 15, and Francis Hernandez-Aguilar, 17, were taken into custody, according to a Metro Nashville Police Department news release. Police found a sawed off-shotgun inside their vehicle. One of the teens had the cab driver’s keys. All three are charged in juvenile court with aggravated robbery. The Tennessee Star was told that police do not release information about immigration status of individuals arrested.  

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Mexican Man Arrested In Nashville For Heroin Possession

Wendy Wilson

A man from Mexico remains in custody after being arrested in Nashville Tuesday night when caught with more than half a pound of heroin that police say he intended to sell. Hugo Contreras-Gonzalez, 34, was driving a minivan along I-65 South near Trinity Lane when he was pulled over for speeding, according to a news release issued Wednesday by the Metro Nashville Police Department. Police dog Stryker detected a narcotic odor and in searching the minivan, police found heroin in two separate grease tubes in the rear passenger area. Contreras-Gonzalez was charged with possessing heroin for resale. He did not have a valid driver’s license and presented a passport, saying he had only been in the country for 15 days. His bond was set at $82,000 and he remained in jail Friday, police spokeswoman Kris Mumford told The Tennessee Star Friday afternoon. A court date is set for March 15. Contreras-Gonzalez had previous contact with local law enforcement in March 2011 when he was pulled over in Madison for not having headlights on during a rainstorm and was given a misdemeanor citation for not having a valid driver’s license, Mumford said.

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Homeless Man Arrested In Stabbing Death Of Young Nurse In Nashville

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

Police charged a man they consider homeless Wednesday night with the murder of a young nurse at her Wedgewood Park apartment in Nashville in a case that has prompted concerns about transients in the area. Christopher Drew McLawhorn, 24, was charged with criminal homicide and especially aggravated burglary for the Feb. 28 murder of Tiffany Ferguson, 23, an ICU nurse at St. Thomas West, according to a news release issued by the Metro Nashville Police Department. A person of interest in the case, McLawhorn was found by police at 3rd Avenue North and Broadway early Sunday morning. He had two bottles of alcohol and was carrying a small amount of marijuana and was arrested for misdemeanor drug possession. He denied any knowledge of Ferguson’s death. He remained in jail and police later collected evidence and witness statements that allegedly connect him to Ferguson’s murder. Police say McLawhorn stabbed Ferguson multiple times while burglarizing her apartment. He had prior arrests in Nashville for public intoxication, misdemeanor theft and failure to be booked on the misdemeanor theft charge. Police consider him homeless but say he stayed with a friend from time to time on 14th Avenue North. On Tuesday, Wedgewood area residents…

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