Chief Serpas Says Money May Run Out

Metro Police Chief Ronal Serpas says Nashvillians can expect him to speak out more in the coming years.

Serpas spoke at a luncheon today hosted by the Tennessee Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Serpas says he has a certain amount of freedom because his job is a “civil-service protected chief’s position”.

“I have a boss and it’s the mayor. I have a boss, it’s the council. I have a boss, it’s you. But the good news about the way my job was created long before I got here is that no one person in that group can fire me just because they don’t like me anymore… I have a responsibility to operate with that occasionally and say, hey look, you know, I understand and respect the council, but this isn’t where we’re at anymore. We have to go in this direction.”

Serpas praised the efficiency of his department compared to cities with larger forces such as Atlanta, but says in 2007 or 2008, he’ll be asking for more money for the department to match increasing service demands.

Serpas praised the efficiency of his department compared to cities with larger forces such as Atlanta, but says in 2007 or 2008, he’ll be asking for more money for the department to match increasing service demands.