La Vergne offers police chief job to Milwaukee police Capt. Christopher Moews

Scott Broden, Murfreesboro Daily News Journal
Updated ·4 min read

La Vergne Mayor Jason Cole offered the police chief job to finalist Christopher Moews, public records confirm.

The city's police officers learned about the offer from a Wednesday email from Andrew Patton, the local government's director of human resources.

“I’m so happy to share that the city has made a conditional offer to Christopher Moews as the next police chief,” Patton said in his email.

Christopher Moews
Christopher Moews

Moews is a Milwaukee police captain and one of the five finalists for the La Vergne police chief job. He could be going from serving a Wisconsin city with a July 2022 U.S. Census estimated population of over 563,000 to serving a suburb of Nashville that La Vergne officials estimate has 42,000 to 45,000 residents.

If Moews accepts the position, he will replace fired former Chief Burrel "Chip" Davis.

The mayor in February fired the former chief previously promoted by Cole two years ago after an investigation by consulting Nashville attorney Thomas H. Lee. The attorney's findings in a Feb. 6 report accused Davis of failing to reveal knowledge of inappropriate conduct of at least two of five officers fired by the mayor on Jan. 4.

"Chief Davis knew prior to the initial investigation — and did not voluntarily disclose — that at least two members of the La Vergne Police Department (fired officers Maegan Hall and Sgt. Lewis Powell) were engaged in inappropriate sexual activity," Lee's investigation report said.

The city also faces a lawsuit from Hall. She accused Davis, Powell and other officers of sexually harassing her. Investigations and police discipline decisions followed after La Vergne officials learned in December about questionable conduct of officers.

Hall on Dec. 8 sought hospitalized treatment for 72 hours after she disclosed suicidal thoughts and intentions to medical personal, her superiors and fellow officers, according to Lee's report.

Mayor Cole prior to offering the job to Moews said the next chief "must reestablish both reputation and the transparency of the police force."

Prior to Cole's job offer, Moews and the other finalists traveled to La Vergne in July to participate in screening interviews with the city's executive-level administration and other upper-management personnel. The University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) facilitated the candidate assessment and panel interviews along with chiefs from across the state, according to a city press release.

5 finalist compete for police chief job: La Vergne seeks new police chief to 'reestablish both reputation and the transparency'

Moews one of 5 finalists for chief job

City officials hope Moews will accept the job and start by September. He'll have to await a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) background check, according to Patton's email to officers.

Patton noted that independent advisors, including with the University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service, recommended that an outside agency conduct the criminal background check.

“Chris (Moews) will be back in La Vergne on August 14 & 15 to complete the polygraph, medical and psychological portions of the offer,” Patton said in his email.

Once all of those required procedures are completed with results returned to the city and the TBI submits its report, the process will be finalized, Patton said.

“We are aiming for his start date to be the first week of September,” said Patton, who also thanked the officers for their input and involvement in the process.

Moews is one of five finalists for the chief job:

  • Police Chief Michael Bell of Coweta, Oklahoma, a growing Tulsa suburb with a U.S. Census Bureau July 2022 estimated population of 10,456 residents;

  • Police Chief Thomas Herion of Lyons, Illinois, a Chicago suburb with a July 2022 estimated population of 10,411;

  • Director David Imhof of Old Hickory community of Nashville area; he oversees the Office of Investigation and Conduct within the Tennessee Department of Correction in Nashville;

  • Police Capt. Christopher Moews (pronounced Mays) of Milwaukee with July 2022 population of 563,305;

  • Police Capt. William Nas of Casselberry, Florida, an Orlando suburb with July 2022 population of 29,901.

Note: This story will be updated.

Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottBroden. To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.

About Christopher Moews

  • Milwaukee Police Department Capt. Christopher Moews, who has a conditional offer to be the next La Vergne police chief, has over 29 years of law enforcement experience in diverse communities and settings. Since 1996, Moews has served within the Milwaukee Police Department. He has implemented transformational change when needed in leadership positions. Moews also has embraced community engagement and established strong relationships with community partners and elected officials throughout his career. His experience includes coordinating with local, state and federal partners in pursuing shared goals. Moews graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He also has completed management training through the Northwestern Center for Public Safety, the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the FBI-Law Enforcement Executive Development Association and the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Command College Certified Public Manager Program. Moews currently resides in Milwaukee with his wife and two sons.

Source: La Vergne spokeswoman Anne Smith

This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: La Vergne offers police chief job to Milwaukee police captain