This month, the Tennessee legislature passed a bill to abolish community oversight boards, replacing the existing COBs in Nashville and Memphis with boards appointed by the mayor. These new boards would no longer have subpoena powers and would lose most of their ability to conduct independent investigations of police misconduct.
On Wednesday, This Is Nashville hosted an episode with current and former board members, the current executive director and a member of the community to learn more about what this bill means for the future of COBs in Tennessee.
But first, we put out a form asking you all, the community, how you feel about this new legislation. We received more than 100 messages, and 98% of those comments strongly oppose the state legislature’s efforts.
In all those dozens of messages, there were three common themes:
Nashville residents voted for this board.
Nashville got its COB after a 2018 referendum, when more than 130,000 Nashvillians voted to establish a community oversight board as a way to increase police accountability following the police killings of Jocques Clemmons in 2017 and Daniel Hambrick earlier that year.
The measure won by a 20% margin citywide, and it won a majority in 29 of 35 Metro council districts.
Many of the comments we received expressed that they felt like this new bill overrules their vote.
“The voters of Davidson County voted this board in, and that is truly the will of the people. Now, you want to disband it because one Republican senator doesn’t like it. How is that democracy? What is the point of telling people how important it is that they vote to make their voice heard if a supermajority can remove what the voters have put in place? We voted it in, and it should stand until and unless the voters of Davidson County vote it out.”
– Voicemail from Juanita Copeland
Nashville residents are frustrated by the state government’s increased involvement in local politics and policy.
The bill was sponsored by Sen. Mark Pody, R-Lebanon; Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma; and Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald.
“Nashville voted for the COB as it is. Sen. Pody does not represent Nashville and should mind his own damn business. If he wants some other structure for COBs, let him do it in Lebanon.”
— Comment from Daniel Hooper
“I don’t understand why the legislature continues to overstep their work and get involved in local issues. It’s inappropriate and just seems to be one more way to silence the voices of people who are often not heard.”
— Voicemail from Selena McCoy Carpenter
COBs provide necessary external accountability for police.
Several comments we received emphasized that police should have an independent oversight organization rather than allowing them to investigate themselves.
“Depending on (the police) for oversight is like depending on the proverbial fox to guard the henhouse!”
— Comment from Sheila Hobson
“Oversight boards are critical to community safety. They are independent spaces where people can feel heard. Police policing themselves erodes trust.”
— Comment from Evelyn Hoyt
To learn more about the future of the Metro Nashville Community Oversight Board, listen to the full episode here.
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM