Nashville Police To Get Major Boost In Proposed City Budget

Nashville’s police department would grow substantially in the mayor’s newly proposed budget. In her annual “State of Metro” address, Megan Barry called for the hiring of 22 new officers to work specifically on foot patrols within neighborhoods, plus 48 more regular-duty officers.

“Nashville’s population has grown more than 9% but our police force has grown just 5%,” she said. “We are trying to close that gap.”

Police Chief Steve Anderson
asked for the beat cops during his budget hearing with the mayor, mulling a throwback in policing the city’s densest neighborhoods.

The mayor is also seeking council approval to pay for police body cameras and dash cams within patrol cars,
which came in much more expensive than city officials expected.

Overall,
Barry’s budget for all city departments aims for a $119 million increase — or 5 percent — over the current fiscal year.