Community Review Board asks mayor for public update after TBI seized files from law firm investigating 61‑page whistleblower complaint

The Metro Nashville Community Review Board on March 24 asked Mayor John Cooper’s office to explain why the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant that seized files tied to a 61‑page whistleblower complaint and the third‑party law firm hired to investigate it.

The CRB voted to request a public update and set a deadline for a response. After debate, the board approved giving the mayor until Monday to respond to a letter the CRB sent on March 20 that asks for clarity on the status and implications of the TBI action.

Attorney Frank Brazil read the CRB’s letter into the record. The letter says in part: “Dear Mayor O’Connell, on behalf of the Metro Nashville Community Review Board, we write to express our deep concern regarding recent developments affecting an ongoing investigation into a 61 page whistleblower complaint alleging that Metro Police secretly worked with state lawmakers to strip the community oversight board of its power. … The board recently learned that in November of 2024, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant and seized files from the independent investigators working on behalf of the people of Nashville.”

Board members said they had not been informed about the raid and called the lack of notice “concerning” and unacceptable. Board member Alicia Hedda asked, “I’d like to know how we got to 03/24/2025 without any indication that the law firm that was hired by our local administration was raided by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and we not know about it.”

Chair Walter Holloway and other members said the CRB had been cooperative and patient and that the seizure raised questions about whether the outside investigation had been compromised. Holloway described the board’s action as “moving forward” to seek clarity for the public; the board voted to require a response by Monday and said it would call a special meeting if it had not received an adequate reply.

The CRB’s letter asked the mayor’s office to provide a public update on both the investigation and the TBI’s raid, and to explain why local officials had not publicly disclosed the search.

The board also discussed possible follow‑up steps, including wider publicity about the seizure if a timely reply is not received. Attorney Brazil told members there was no immediate procedural recourse he could point to and recommended public attention and continued pressure for an explanation.

The CRB said publicly that it has possession of the search warrant for former lieutenant Garrett Davidson’s home and a property receipt listing items taken; it said it does not have the Butler Snow search warrant or property receipt in hand but has been told Butler Snow was subject to a search.

The item concluded with the board directing staff to send correspondence reiterating the CRB’s request for a response by Thursday and, after a procedural motion, formally setting Monday as the deadline by board vote.