NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Southeast Nashville is set to welcome a new Metro Police precinct, bringing the total number of precincts in the city to nine.
The official groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday. Community members say it signifies a big step forward. They have been advocating for it for over a decade.
The new precinct will be located off Murfreesboro Pike, serving the Antioch community, which has been experiencing rapid growth accompanied by unique challenges.
Councilwoman Tanaka Vercher represents District 28. She expressed her satisfaction at seeing the project come to life, emphasizing the importance of perseverance.
"Hard work and persistence does pay off. Sometimes it takes a little longer than what we want," Councilwoman Vercher said.
The Southeast police precinct will cater to community members who have been at the forefront of the fight for increased safety, as well as those who have fallen victim to various crimes.
“In honor of their families, this is really for them. It's for our teens that have been hit on our roadways. For our businesses that have been burglarized and homes that have been vandalized," Councilwoman Vercher said.
Councilwoman Vercher expressed optimism that the new police precinct would lead to decreased response times.
Carlos Lara has been named the commander of the precinct. He stressed the importance of building strong relationships with the diverse population in Southeast Nashville.
“We have huge Hispanic population here, a huge Kurdish population, a huge Somali population and Ethiopian population. We got the United Nations out here, and we need more officers that represent these communities we serve," Lara said.
Ronnie Wilson, a Nashville resident, has seen the area grow a lot over the past 36 years. He was delighted to be part of this special day. He and many other community members have expressed concerns about the staffing of the new precinct and its potential impact on response times.
According to Chief John Drake, right now officers from the South and Hermitage precincts are responsible for responding to calls in the area, leading to longer travel times.
Addressing these concerns, Mayor John Cooper assured the community that the new precinct would be fully staffed by the time the building opens next year. He mentioned the city's efforts in recruiting and training new officers, with the goal of reaching a fully staffed Police Department for the first time in Nashville's history.
Chief John Drake echoed what Mayor Cooper said.
Drake said additional officers would be necessary to reduce response times effectively. Chief Drake assured the community that the new precinct would help improve emergency services in the area.
“South is 70 square miles. Hermitage is 90 square miles, plus 160 square miles between the two. So, when you divide into thirds it’s about 53 square miles each. It’s going to help response times a lot," Chief Drake explained. “This time last year we were 212 officers short from fully staffed. Right now, we are 92 officers short with 75 recruits in the training academy and 4 more classes this year, then 8 next year. We are going to have staffing with this precinct," Chief Drake said.
Residents anticipate that the establishment of the precinct will lead to positive changes in safety and security.
"We’re going to be fully staffed and we will make a few promotions. We’re going to be overstaffed for the first time ever by the time this precinct opens. That’s my vision," Chief Drake added.
They expect the facility to be open by the middle of 2024.
