Metropolitan Nashville Police Department
Encyclopedia
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department is the primary provider of law enforcement services for Metropolitan Nashville
and Davidson County
, Tennessee. The MNPD covers a total area of 526.1 square miles (1,362.6 km²) that encompasses everything from high density urban locations to rural areas.
ranked the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department as the 36th largest U.S. police department.
The department is configured in a decentralized format, providing its precinct commanders with control of their own resources to address issues and crime trends in their areas. The department is divided into six precincts: North, South, East, West, Central, and Hermitage. A precinct
is designed similarly to a medium-sized police department, with uniform patrol, undercover officers, directed patrol officers, plainclothes detectives, and other specialties.
The precincts are supported by Administrative Services, Investigative Services, and Special Operations Division personnel, all in an effort to deter, detect, prevent, and respond to criminal trends in the precinct areas. The department's entire focus is on how to quickly identify trends and implement initiatives that address them.
This team was placed under the direct control of the Metro Police Department’s Training Academy Director and its members were appointed from the training academy’s roll. In 1979 the team was renamed the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (S.W.A.T.) and in 1983, its membership was opened to personnel throughout the department.
SWAT members are specialists selected, trained, and equipped to resolve high-risk tactical problems. SWAT personnel assist in the department’s response to unusual and high-risk tactical situations. The members have primary assignments from virtually all sections within the department and come together for training and operations. Their constant specialty training and flexibility are the key elements in keeping abreast of a rapidly changing society and the complex problems it generates. The team conducts over 125 SWAT-related missions per year and is equipped with a Lenco BearCat
armored rescue vehicle.
The team responds to several categories of tactical situations including:
In 2004, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department activated a portion of its SWAT team members to a full-time status. The unit is a plainclothes versatile SWAT unit with its primary focus as combating high-risk suspects who have outstanding warrants. The Special Response Tactical Unit is staffed by active SWAT Team members. Based on the unit's primary tasks of tracking down violent repeat offenders, service of high-risk search/arrest warrants, and assistance with preplanned high-risk operations, the unit is flexible in its shifts and days off.
Due to the growing gang
problem on the streets of Nashville with gangs such as Kurdish Pride,
MS-13, Bloods
, and Crips
. The Department has set up surveillance in the South Nashville neighborhoods to put pressure on the gang members. The
team had originally only 14 officers who worked Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
These 14 officers stepped up Patrol in areas that have had a high concentration of gang activity, which include Madison and Antioch areas. In
March 2008, the Department added 23 more officers to the anti-gang team. Former Chief of Police
Ronal Serpas hopes that this step up in patrol will send a message that he will not tolerate gang activity in Nashville.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
and Davidson County
Davidson County, Tennessee
Davidson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 626,681. Its county seat is Nashville.In 1963, the City of Nashville and the Davidson County government merged, so the county government is now known as the "Metropolitan Government of Nashville and...
, Tennessee. The MNPD covers a total area of 526.1 square miles (1,362.6 km²) that encompasses everything from high density urban locations to rural areas.
Composition and organization
The department comprises over 1900 personnel, including over 1300 full-time sworn members. The department responds to more than 750,000 police calls per year on average. The most recent census ranked Nashville as the 21st largest U.S. city. In 2000 the Department of JusticeUnited States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
ranked the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department as the 36th largest U.S. police department.
The department is configured in a decentralized format, providing its precinct commanders with control of their own resources to address issues and crime trends in their areas. The department is divided into six precincts: North, South, East, West, Central, and Hermitage. A precinct
Precinct
A precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it. The term has several different uses...
is designed similarly to a medium-sized police department, with uniform patrol, undercover officers, directed patrol officers, plainclothes detectives, and other specialties.
The precincts are supported by Administrative Services, Investigative Services, and Special Operations Division personnel, all in an effort to deter, detect, prevent, and respond to criminal trends in the precinct areas. The department's entire focus is on how to quickly identify trends and implement initiatives that address them.
Rank Structure
The rank structure of the MNPD is as follows:| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Chief of Police Chief of police A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable... |
 |
| Deputy Chief |  |
| Commander Commander Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval... |
|
| Captain Police captain - France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant.... |
|
| Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... |
 |
| Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... |
|
| Field Training Officer Field Training Officer A Field Training Officer is an experienced or senior member of an organization who is responsible for the training and evaluation of a junior or probationary level member... |
 |
| Police Officer Police officer A police officer is a warranted employee of a police force... /Detective Detective A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"... |
S.W.A.T. Team
In 1976 the Metropolitan Nashville Government formed a highly flexible mobile strike force to concentrate on police problems that might otherwise go unchecked in Nashville due to the limitations imposed on field personnel in supplying day-to-day services. This early concept became the foundation for the department’s Metro Unique Situation Team, known then as M.U.S.T.This team was placed under the direct control of the Metro Police Department’s Training Academy Director and its members were appointed from the training academy’s roll. In 1979 the team was renamed the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (S.W.A.T.) and in 1983, its membership was opened to personnel throughout the department.
SWAT members are specialists selected, trained, and equipped to resolve high-risk tactical problems. SWAT personnel assist in the department’s response to unusual and high-risk tactical situations. The members have primary assignments from virtually all sections within the department and come together for training and operations. Their constant specialty training and flexibility are the key elements in keeping abreast of a rapidly changing society and the complex problems it generates. The team conducts over 125 SWAT-related missions per year and is equipped with a Lenco BearCat
Lenco BearCat
The Lenco BearCat is a wheeled armored personnel carrier in use with numerous military and law enforcement agencies.-History:Since 1981 the Massachusetts based Lenco Industries, known as Lenco Armoured Vehicles has designed and manufactured armored vehicles for Law Enforcement, Military, Government...
armored rescue vehicle.
The team responds to several categories of tactical situations including:
- Barricaded person situations
- Sniper/counter-sniper situations
- Hostage situations
- High-risk warrant service operations
- Protecting high value persons and property
- Search and rescue operations
- High-risk tactical surveillance and/or narcotics enforcement operations
- Tactical waterborne operations
- High angle, elevated, and aviation operations
- Covert/undercover tactical operations
- Hazardous material, clandestine lab and weapons of mass destruction situations
- Special circumstances such as crowd control and rural searches
In 2004, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department activated a portion of its SWAT team members to a full-time status. The unit is a plainclothes versatile SWAT unit with its primary focus as combating high-risk suspects who have outstanding warrants. The Special Response Tactical Unit is staffed by active SWAT Team members. Based on the unit's primary tasks of tracking down violent repeat offenders, service of high-risk search/arrest warrants, and assistance with preplanned high-risk operations, the unit is flexible in its shifts and days off.
Operation Safer Streets
The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department is currently involved in Operation Safer Streets.Due to the growing gang
Gang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
problem on the streets of Nashville with gangs such as Kurdish Pride,
MS-13, Bloods
Bloods
The Bloods are a street gang founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for its rivalry with the Crips. They are identified by the red color worn by their members and by particular gang symbols, including distinctive hand signs...
, and Crips
Crips
The Crips are a primarily, but not exclusively, African American gang. They were founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969 mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams...
. The Department has set up surveillance in the South Nashville neighborhoods to put pressure on the gang members. The
team had originally only 14 officers who worked Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
These 14 officers stepped up Patrol in areas that have had a high concentration of gang activity, which include Madison and Antioch areas. In
March 2008, the Department added 23 more officers to the anti-gang team. Former Chief of Police
Ronal Serpas hopes that this step up in patrol will send a message that he will not tolerate gang activity in Nashville.