Nashville Councilmember Heralds Legislation Against Police Association with Hate Groups

Nashville, TN – Councilmember Jeff Preptit of Metro Nashville has initiated a bill known as the “Community Protection and Accountability Act,” which aims to prevent the city’s law enforcement officers from engaging in any association with hate groups.

The proposed legislation stems from the recent rise in neo-Nazi marches in Nashville’s downtown. With two different groups marching in as many weeks, the city’s leaders are taking necessary action to ensure that public safety officials do not hold membership in hate groups.

The Community Protection and Accountability Act

The current draft of the bill seeks to prohibit Metro Nashville Police Department employees from any “unlawful association with criminal hate groups and paramilitary gangs.” According to Councilmember Preptit, the definitions of hate groups and paramilitary gangs in the bill are influenced by state law regarding civil disorder and paramilitary activity.

As a civil rights attorney affiliated with the American Civil Liberties Union and a respected figure among his council peers, Preptit has invested months in devising this legislation. His efforts are backed by extensive research, feedback from public safety agencies, and a comprehensive review of related case law. Preptit’s initiative is positively received by many public safety agencies.

Controversy Surrounding the Legislation

A substantial number of council members, including Preptit, form the 11 sponsors supporting the bill. However, criticism from inside and outside the Metro Council has been swift. James Smallwood, President of the Fraternal Order of Police’s Andrew Jackson Lodge, has publicly called on council members to reject the current draft of the bill.

Smallwood’s main argument centers around the Metro Police employee manual, which already forbids harassment and discrimination by personnel. He believes that the introduction of this bill unjustly indicates the existence of a rampant and widespread issue within the department—a claim he firmly refutes.

Preemptive Measures

While Nashville’s police department may not currently face a significant problem with hate groups, Preptit asserts that such an issue is not an impossibility, citing the recent identification of several officers in Chicago’s police department with ties to white supremacist groups. History, especially in law enforcement agencies of the South, has shown instances of deep-rooted infiltration by groups upholding ideas and exhibiting behaviors that contradict the basic tenets of law enforcement and public safety.

Similarly, criminal hate groups often target public safety personnel to exploit their social credibility as well as their firearms training and expertise. Given these concerns, Preptit emphasizes that the community must adopt a proactive rather than reactive stance.

Response and Next Steps

Preptit plans to amend the legislation to encompass the Nashville Fire Department and the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, in addition to the Metro Nashville Police Department. Although the implementation of the bill is being delayed until September 3rd to allow further discussions and potential other amendments, the bill appears to be on its way to establishing a crucial benchmark in Nashville’s public safety record.

Councilmember Russ Bradford, a second-term lawmaker and an avid supporter of the police department, is co-sponsoring the bill. Bradford notes that the presence of hate groups in the MNPD undermines public safety and trust, making it crucial that officers are free from biased views that can impact their ability to serve the community impartially.

A city grappling with increased political violence and hate marches, Nashville now watches Councilmember Preptit navigate the political landscape with his proposed legislation. The outcome may indicate the council’s readiness for progressive police reform.