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Nashville review board approves OPA recommendations on three misconduct complaints; declines to redact one officer’s name
Summary
The Metro Nashville Community Review Board accepted Office of Professional Accountability findings and recommendations on three complaints — including remedial training for one officer and a referral to DEC for call-handling policy — after debating whether to remove an incorrectly listed officer name from one complaint record.
The Metro Nashville Community Review Board voted March 23 to accept Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) findings and recommendations in three separate misconduct complaints, approving remedial training in one case and forwarding another case’s policy recommendation to the Department of Emergency Communications (DEC).
The board accepted the executive director’s recommendation that Officer Benjamin Williams receive remedial training for “acting in a civil matter” following a Feb. 12, 2024 complaint by Dejanika Johnson and Shanice Davis alleging rude and aggressive conduct and statements that contributed to an eviction. The executive director told members the OPA investigation was “thorough and complete” but that the exoneration for acting in a civil matter was not supported by the evidence; the board approved the training recommendation by voice vote.
The board also reviewed a March 27, 2024 complaint from Curtis Sanford alleging excessive force. OPA’s review found the investigation satisfactory for Officer Gray Maxwell, but the complaint narrative referenced Sergeant Jamaal/Jamel Griffin, who was not present at the scene. Members debated whether to redact or remove Griffin’s name from public records; a motion to strike the name failed on a voice vote and the board ultimately accepted OPA’s recommendations as written.
On a third case involving Gregory Baker, who alleged an unacceptably delayed police response to reported vandalism, the board accepted OPA’s conclusion that MNPD followed policy in the face of intervening calls but recommended improved coordination between MNPD and DEC. Member Michelle moved that the board accept the report and also send the case file and recommendations to DEC; the board approved that motion.
The board’s decisions were procedural approvals of OPA findings and policy recommendations rather than disciplinary determinations; in each case the board accepted OPA’s investigative conclusions or recommended further administrative steps. Where members raised concerns about record accuracy or further investigative options, those concerns were recorded in board discussion but did not change the accepted outcomes.
Votes at a glance • NCRB-CC-2024-018 (Officer Benjamin Williams): Board accepted OPA findings and approved remedial training for “acting in a civil matter.” Outcome: approved. • NCRB-2024-045 (Officer Gray Maxwell): Board accepted OPA findings as satisfactory; motion to redact Sergeant Jamaal/Jamel Griffin’s name failed. Outcome: approved as written. • NCRB-CC-2025-2132 (Officer Matthew Allen): Board accepted OPA findings and voted to send recommendations to DEC to pursue joint MNPD–DEC policies on queued-call handoffs. Outcome: approved and forwarded to DEC.
The board did not take independent disciplinary action during the meeting; the decisions reflect acceptance of OPA’s investigative work and recommendations. The executive director and members noted several follow-up steps, including sending correspondence to DEC and, in the Griffin naming dispute, a concern about how and when names appear in complaint narratives.
