Investigation launched after claims of MNPD involvement in undermining police oversight

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — An independent investigation is underway into allegations that Metro Nashville Police Department command staffers helped pass a bill, behind closed doors, that stripped police oversight agencies of much of their power to investigate across the state.

The 61-page complaint was filed with MNPD and Mayor O’Connell’s office late May.

Nearly 135,000 Nashville residents voted to create the Metro Community Oversight Board in 2018, in the wake of an MNPD officer fatally shooting Daniel Hambrick. That same year, former officer Andrew Delke pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter.

"I lost my son’s father because of you..." said Vickie Hambrick in an emotional courtroom outburst in July of 2021. "Because of you! Because of you!"

“Not a day has gone by where I have not thought about my actions,” said Delke to the judge.

Six years later, the whistleblower complaint, written by former MNPD internal affairs unit lieutenant, Garet Davidson, alleges high-ranking officers in the department worked in secret to help pass a state law gutting the ability of civilian oversight boards in Tennessee, with Chief John Drake knowing about it.

Nashville's since-revised Metro Community Review Board has said it's been hamstrung since, not getting the same police documents and body cam video as before the legislation, adding to the allegations of officer misconduct.

“We witnessed one of the country’s most robust forms of police oversight happening in Nashville, to change before our very eyes,” said Community Review Board Chair Alisha Haddock in a January meeting.

“That is something that loses the respect, the trust and the confidence of the people they (MNPD) serve,” Davidson said in an interview with FOX 17 News.

Davidson said he believes the command staffers helped write the legislation, behind closed doors.

“Yes, it may not necessarily be everything,” he said. “But key parts of it because now they’re basically able to tell the CRB to go pound sand.”

Davidson says one of the command staffers was even presented an award, an engraved star, in front of MNPD’s entire Office of Professional Accountability staff.

“'OPA star’ is what I think it said,” he continued.

Metro Police reject any claims officers were involved in crafting or lobbying for the legislation.

A statement from MNPD also said the command staffer thought he received the award for his "help in resolving various issues in the relationship between OPA and the COB." Police also said they're investigating the complaint and whether their administrative processes for internal investigation and discipline need refinement.

The whistleblower complaint has sparked backlash in the community, with the NAACP, and other organizations holding a press conference several weeks ago, calling for the federal Department of Justice to investigate, as opposed to an outside law firm.

“Freedom is a slippery concept if it is the case that our police department conspired with our state government to undo and undermine the will of the citizens of Nashville. Freedom has not been experienced,” said Aaron Marble, president of the Interdenominational Ministers Fellowship.

Mayor Freddie O'Connell agreed to calls for an independent investigation, now headed by former Memphis U.S. Attorney Edward Stanton.

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FOX 17 News took a deep dive into MNPD policies. A Metro policy analyst, who asked not to be named, said "conduct unbecoming" of an officer could apply if the allegations are proven true.

Another section on political activities states an employee, “shall not engage in any political activity when acting as an agent of the department, attired in the uniform of the department or displaying any credential or insignia of the department.”

That same section also says officers, "shall not use or threaten to use or attempt to use his or her official power or authority in any manner directly or indirectly in aid of or against any political party, organization, association or society, or control, effect, influence, reward or punish, the political appearance, affiliation, action, expression or opinion of any citizen.”

Whether the officers' alleged actions were on the clock could become a factor into the investigation. However, the city analyst said even if the officers were out of uniform, it’s still questionable weather a command staffer helping to write legislation-if that happened-could truly be separated from acting as “an agent of the department.”

FOX 17 News reached out to the Nashville Fraternal Order of Police, which declined to speculate on any policy violations, since they believe the allegations are false.

“When there’s concerns about what’s being done behind closed doors... it unfortunately legitimizes a lot of the concerns that are already out there in the community about whether or not the police can be trusted to police themselves,” said Davidson.

As that investigation continues, the Community Review Board and Metro Police are hashing out what police records the board will ultimately have access to moving forward, under the new law.

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Both sides have attorneys, and different interpretations of what should be handed over. A draft MOU has been written at this point, and all parties, including the mayor’s office and Metro Legal, are reviewing the document.

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