Tag: Nashville Police

MNPD & TSU remove officers from working downtown Nashville’s private ‘mercenary’ police force

Jason Steen

As of last week, administrations of both the Metro Nashville and the Tennessee State University Police Departments have stopped scheduling officers to work secondary employment on the Downtown Partnership’s private police force, described as “mercenaries” by some, including Mayoral Candidate Alice Rolli. While MNPD says it was a “mutual decision” between them and the PSO (Private Security Organization), Jack Byrd, who manages the PSO, tells Scoop: Nashville the decision was solely his. The PSO has become controversial in recent weeks over reported ‘homeless roundups’ to clear up the area for tourists. A statement from an MNPD spokesperson ties the scheduling pause to an “insurance issue,” while TSU did not comment on their reasoning for stopping the program permanently. The remainder of the officers left working for the troubled PSO are primarily from Millersville PD & THP.

Nashville Police pose with street racers for a photo op as the community sees no relief from street takeovers

Jason Steen

Metro Nashville Police stopped for a photo opportunity during a street takeover this past weekend, leaving neighbors asking who is actually in charge. Our story paints a clear picture of the answer, with video…

VIDEO: MNPD Detective decommissioned after assaulting a homeless man on a public street

Jason Steen

The Metro Nashville Police Department has decommissioned Detective William Thorowgood after he assaulted a homeless man on a public roadway outside his home, who he claimed was littering. He attacks the man, knocking him to the ground and placing a knee on his chest while telling him he’s detained and he would be in cuffs if he had them with him. Thorowgood, who has been with the department for ten years and served as a Fraud Detective, reported the incident to his supervisor on Monday, December 12, and was decommissioned the same day. After the assault in the video [full 17 minutes included in the story], Thorowgood calls 911 and reports the homeless man is armed and advancing toward him, both of which the video shows to be untrue. This is a developing story.

Nashville Police Officer held in a Mexican jail after bringing a handgun into the country

Jason Steen

BREAKING: Metro Nashville Police Officer Lemandries ‘LD’ Deshun Hawes is currently being held in a jail in Mexico after bringing a handgun into the country on July 9th. He reportedly declared the personally owned pistol with the airline, however, it is still a federal crime to bring any handgun or ammunition into the country, with a standard sentence of 5 years imprisonment if found guilty. Lemandries is scheduled to have a hearing in Mexico today. Hawes was scheduled to be married on July 8th, and was arrested on the evening of July 9th in Cancun as he landed at the airport to celebrate his honeymoon with Khristian Hawes. Hawes was a lateral transfer from the Memphis Police Department. This is a developing story.

Nashville Police charge Morgan Gray with prostitution & illegal handgun possession during West End sting operation

Jason Steen

Nashville police conducted a sting operation this week, placing ads online and meeting respondents at a hotel near Elliston Place & 24th Ave North. 26-year-old Morgan Gray responded to one of the ads and agreed to have sex with an undercover detective in exchange for $400. Once she arrived and accepted the payment she was taken into custody. During a search incident to arrest, officers located a handgun in her purse, and it was discovered she was a convicted Utah felon.

UPDATE: Charges dropped against Husband, Wife released from DCS Custody — Cops had wrong birthdate

Jason Steen

In a major update to the story we published yesterday about a refugee couple being separated by Metro Nashville Police, who charged the husband with felony statutory rape and committed the wife to DCS Custody, we have just learned that all charges are being dropped and the wife is being released from DCS custody. Metro Nashville Police say there was an error in determining her date of birth, which was actually in 2003, not 2006, making her 18-years-old, soon to be 19.

Nashville Police jail Married Afghan refugee; take wife into DCS custody — Maseehullah Feda

Jason Steen

Metro Nashville Police initially responded to a 3rd party call about a domestic dispute early Tuesday morning. They met with 25-year-old Maseehullah Feda and his wife, who explained they were a married couple and were recently-arrived refugees from Afghanistan. As police were reviewing their provided and valid Employment Authorization cards they found the wife’s age to be 15. While allowable with permission in the country in which they were married (and also in Hawaii, Missouri, Montana, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire), police were not going to allow it in Tennessee.

Officers inquired about the sexual activities of the married couple, and they admitted they had sex within the past day, as they were married. Officer Paul Hughes took Feda into custody and charged him with felony statutory rape of his wife. Feda remains in jail, while his wife was removed from their home and taken into the custody of DCS.

Brazen burglars zip-tie 3 residents, break out front teeth of 1, during Madison home invasion

Jason Steen

NEW DETAILS: 25-year-old Adarius Frazier, 31-year-old Ralphael Turner, and an unknown third person, held a resident at gunpoint as he arrived home from the 3000 Bar in downtown Nashville and demanded access to the apartment. Once inside, all three residents, Anthony Holmes, Capria Holmes, and Francesca Clark, were zip-tied and placed on the floor of a bedroom closet. The invaders also knocked out the front teeth of Mr. Holmes. As officers were putting on heavy armor outside, the suspects fled in a resident’s vehicle… police eventually caught 2 of them on Lischey Ave. as they dumped an AR Rifle, a Keltec pistol, and iPhones along the way.

Frazier is held on a $387,000 bond, and Turner is held on a $270,000 bond.

After cocaine & beer, man calls 911 to have a tow truck take him home. He walked to the restaurant — Timothy Odom

Jason Steen

54-year-old Timothy Odom went to an East Nashville restaurant Wednesday and drank “a lot” of beer and snorted cocaine. He then convinced employees to call 911 for him, stating he was experiencing an emergency. Once officers arrived he explained he had stubbed his toe, and his phone wasn’t charged, both of which he believed to be genuine emergencies. He told officers what he really needed was for them to call a tow truck for him, so he could get home. Mr. Odom arrived on foot and did not have a vehicle.

Odom was charged with making a non-emergency 911 call ($50 bond), drug paraphernalia for the cut straws in his backpack ($1,000 bond), and public intoxication ($50 bond). He is jailed in lieu of a $1,100 bond.

Man stumbles down broadway, lands on police car which takes him to jail — Jackson McClain

Jason Steen

Metro Nashville Police say they were watching 22-year-old Jackson McClain stumble down Broadway in downtown Nashville when he came upon a MNPD police car and fell over onto it, nearly knocking off the side mirror. They approached him and attempted to get him a safe ride home, however, he became defiant and disorderly, aggressively refusing all assistance.
He was charged with public intoxication and transported to booking.