Surveillance cameras are — yet again — stirring up debate in Nashville.
This time, the controversy centers on a $15 million grant, which would be used, in part, to buy new video cameras for the police department and other policing initiatives for downtown.
In the past, the purchase of surveillance cameras for the police department — which requires Metro Council approval — has sparked community pushback, sometimes leading to a rejection of surveillance technology. In this case, community organizations feel that the city is prioritizing surveillance-based safety measures, as opposed to things like violence prevention, infrastructure upgrades or resident assistance.
The money comes from a state grant that, technically, remains in the hands of a nonprofit group, the Nashville Downtown Partnership — at least, until the city government can agree on how to spend it.
NDP and Metro collaborated on an application for the grant, and it was expected that the downtown partnership would transfer much of the funds to Metro for use on cameras, an armored police vehicle and other safety equipment. The partnership would use some of the remaining dollars for various downtown services.
However, the funds have yet to be transferred to the city because the Metro Council has been unable to pass a memorandum of understanding, otherwise known as an MOU. This agreement would lay out how the money is used, as any city use of the funds requires council approval. The council is also voting on uses of the grant individually — like for the surveillance cameras, armored police vehicle, tactical support post and mobile command center. Only the surveillance cameras are required to undergo a public hearing, set for Tuesday’s meeting.
“All parties to the grant agree that moving forward with a Council vote on each proposed grant-funded donation, individually, is the most effective legislative process,” a representative for the Nashville Downtown Partnership told WPLN News. “NDP is committed to being a good partner to Metro, and a good steward of the Tennessee tax dollar investment to make all Nashvillians safer through grant-aligned initiatives. NDP’s share of the grant funds will be used solely for non-surveillance activities, including homeless outreach, public restrooms and improved lighting.”
The vote on the proposed MOU was twice deferred at Metro Council meetings late last year, and will be taken up at tonight’s meeting. Meanwhile, community groups have been pushing for a new proposal that would put less of an emphasis on police.
The group Nashville Organized for Action and Hope, or, NOAH, held a rally downtown last week. Dozens of people showed up, chanting: “Tell me what safety means — housing, healing, dignity.”
Reverend Alisha Haddock, the chair of NOAH’s Transformational Justice Task Force, said that she wants to see Metro “investing in people” rather than policing.
“In it’s current state, [the MOU] is heavily weighed on surveillance and its heavily weighed on the militarization of our local law enforcement,” Haddock said. “How can we prioritize the needs of Nashvillians?”
Mayor Freddie O’Connell told reporters last week that his administration wants to hear public input, but that the focus is on making sure that “the now 20,000 urban residents and the millions of people who visit downtown every year altogether can be safe.”
“The focus on downtown safety from organizations that have not nearly invested the resources and understanding the safety context — we want to hear those voices, but we also want to make sure that everyone understands the context of how different downtown safety environment is from other parts of the city,” O’Connell said.
District 19 Councilmember Jacob Kupin, who represents downtown, also made an appearance at NOAH’s rally. He said he’s not against the purchase of surveillance cameras, but that he feels the existing agreement didn’t have the right amount of community engagement.
“We’ve got people that die on our streets every day, that surveillance could have helped,” Kupin said. “But we also know that surveillance can be harmful. It’s really trying to find the balance.”
Surveillance cameras in Nashville have been a divisive topic for nearly a decade. Over the last several years, this council has repeatedly rejected the use of ‘Fusus,’ a controversial police surveillance tool, and enacted guardrails for police surveillance technology contracts.
In this case, the $15 million dollars is currently in the hands of the Nashville Downtown Partnership — where it sits, without oversight, until the council approves an agreement. If an agreement is not approved, the council will move forward with individually voting on each item the NDP intends to grant Metro.
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