It was a Thursday night in 2019, and Ralph Ward had a busy day at work. He had a corporate job with T-Mobile and had also picked up a gig delivering packages for Amazon.
Metro Nashville Police fatally shoot man in Hermitage
Details are scant so far in the first fatal shooting by Nashville police in 2023. Last year, three people were fatally shot by Nashville police — two in November and one in January.
There’s been a steep rise in Nashville police using force — but it follows new requirements for officer reporting
Many large cities track the number of times police officers lay hands on civilians, but until this year Nashville did not. The change in reporting requirements has caused a balloon in use-of-force numbers.
Police shootings, executions on hold and guns in cars: WPLN’s top criminal justice stories
Tennessee’s criminal justice system has topped several lists this year — largely for lagging behind the rest of the country in reforms. WPLN’s Paige Pfleger picked three stories that defined the beat this year.
The fatal police shooting of a man named Chief may deepen the divide between the city and Nashvillians struggling with homelessness
A man named Drandon John Brown was shot and killed by police over the weekend. Among homeless outreach workers and friends, Brown was known as “Chief.” They say he was a veteran and a leader among the residents of the Brookmeade Park homeless encampment — though he often struggled with his mental health.
Metro Police completes audit of body camera footage, but its community oversight board wants changes moving forward
The Metro Nashville Police Department has completed its review of body camera footage that was sent to the Community Oversight Board in past investigations. The department was looking for instances where videos were improperly edited.
More than 300 body camera videos are under review by MNPD for improper editing
The Metro Nashville Police Department is currently reviewing more than 300 recordings from police body cameras for improperly edited footage.
MNPD now says it will review body camera footage for improperly censored language, after all
The Metro Nashville Police Department will conduct a review of body camera footage to find out if there were more instances of objectionable language being censored.
MNPD has no record of how much body camera footage was improperly edited. The oversight board says ‘it’s eroding trust.’
A Metro Nashville Police Department internal investigation found that two employees removed swearing from body camera videos without permission. But the department has no record of how much footage was improperly edited, and has no plans to do an audit to find out.
Internal investigation shows editing of MNPD body camera footage was more widespread than claimed
A Metro Nashville Police Department internal investigation, obtained by WPLN News this week, revealed that more than one employee was altering body camera footage without permission.
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