Community Review Board sends one case back after chief declines recommendations, seeks clearer MOU process
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Summary
The Nashville Community Review Board voted to send case 2024-015 back for further investigation and directed staff to seek a meeting with the Office of Professional Accountability after MNPD's chief declined the board's recommendations; board members said the MOU lacks a codified follow-up for non-acceptance.
The Nashville Community Review Board voted Friday to return a misconduct review for further inquiry after Metro Nashville Police Department leadership declined some of the board's recommendations.
Executive Director Fitchard told the board that since the November meeting staff had received seven written responses from the chief, and that one response included a formal non-acceptance of the CRB's recommended findings. "I personally disagree with it," Fitchard said of the chief's response, and offered the board the text for discussion.
Board members raised procedural questions about next steps under the memorandum of understanding that governs CRB interaction with MNPD. Legal counsel told the board the current MOU does not give a clear, codified sequence for what happens when the chief does not accept recommendations, saying the MOU anticipates a written response but not a prescribed follow-up. The board discussed three options: send the case back to the chief with a request for more detail, direct the executive director to investigate further, or ask MNPD to conduct additional inquiry.
After debate about missing evidence in the Office of Professional Accountability's file and inconsistencies in CAD and citation timestamps, member Sean Wilson moved that the board send case 2024-015 back for further investigation; the motion was seconded and passed by voice vote. The board also approved a parallel direction that staff attempt a meeting with OPA leadership to discuss the department's reasoning for closing or labeling the matter unfounded.
Board members emphasized the need to add clear procedures to the MOU so non-acceptance does not become a final stop. Attorney Brazil urged the CRB to request the chief's written basis for non-acceptance in sufficient detail to allow the board to assess the factual and legal rationale.
The board will receive the follow-up report from staff at a future meeting. No personnel discipline was decided at the meeting; the action is a directive for more documentation and investigation.
The board also approved a set of consent closures unrelated to the returned case.
What's next: Executive staff will pursue the requested meeting with the Office of Professional Accountability and will return to the board with either additional investigative findings or a summary of MNPD's supplemental response.
