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Police chief urges pay and retention fixes as department reports surge in calls and firearm encounters
Summary
The police chief told council Nashville handled about 15,166 calls in 2025 and made 521 arrests, highlighted rising juvenile firearm incidents and training costs, and pressed for budget changes (including reallocation of equipment funds) to raise staff pay and reduce turnover; the chief estimated repeated recruit churn had cost the town about $1.1 million over 10 years.
The Town of Nashville's police chief told council the department is under growing operational pressure and urged the council to consider re‑prioritizing limited budget dollars toward compensation and retention measures.
The chief presented department statistics for 2025: roughly 15,166 calls for service, 521 arrests and an uptick in juvenile firearm encounters. He said the department seized firearms in 80 separate interactions this year—up from 23 the previous year—and described an increasingly hazardous enforcement environment.
Recruitment and training costs are significant, the chief said. He estimated that…
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