La Vergne seeks new police chief to 'reestablish both reputation and the transparency'
La Vergne's police chief finalists come from outside the city to replace fired former Chief Burrel "Chip" Davis.
La Vergne Mayor Jason Cole hopes to interview and hire one of the five finalists to start by September after the screening and vetting process with city administrators and others is completed. One of the finalists has law enforcement experience in Nashville, and the other four have police experience outside of Tennessee.
"We’re dedicated to making this the most thorough and transparent process, so we get the best chief possible for the city and the citizens of La Vergne," Cole said.
The future chief "must reestablish both reputation and the transparency of the police force," Cole said.
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 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.
Law enforcement issues: Mayor fires 5 La Vergne police officers, suspends 3 after sexual misconduct investigation
4 of 5 finalists from out of state
The future police chief will oversee a department with 93 budgeted positions, including 71 police officers, dispatchers and other staff.
Cole and other members of the La Vergne Board of Mayor and Aldermen learned about the five finalists during a June 29 workshop from Andrew Patton, the city's director of human resources, according to a press release from spokeswoman Anne Smith.
Patton identified the following finalists:
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.
Holding police accountable: Mayor fires 5 La Vergne police officers, suspends 3 after sexual misconduct investigation
Finalists will interview in July with multiple people
All candidates will travel to La Vergne in July to meet with executive-level administration and other upper-management personnel for the city. The University of Tennessee Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) will be facilitating the candidate assessment and panel interviews along with chiefs from across the state, according to the press release.
“This is a step in the right direction, not only for our police department, but for our citizens,” Patton said in the press release. “We feel confident that the selected candidate will be able to continue the process of building up our community’s trust in the department and reestablish an unwavering sense of professionalism from our officers.”
The finalists also will be meeting with officers to answer any questions or concerns they may have, Mayor Cole said.
The vetting interviews will include a scoring process, and Cole expects to interview the top recommended finalist and maybe more than one before making his decision on hiring the next chief.
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Mayor wants next chief to lead efforts on lowering crime rate
The mayor said he wants the next chief to build on efforts to improve law enforcement in La Vergne.
"Over the last four years, we’ve had crime decrease by 16%, but we want to continue to decrease crime further and further," Cole said.
The growing city is pursuing a special census and expects the results to show a population of 42,000 to 45,000 rather than the U.S. Census Bureau estimate of 39,281 on July 1, 2022, Cole said.
La Vergne's Lake Forest Estates is the largest housing subdivision in Tennessee and third largest in the country, "and it's still growing," Cole said.
La Vergne, like other cities throughout the nation, has a diverse population. Much of the city's teens on the north and central sides are zoned to La Vergne High School, which had a count of 2,054 students in 2021-22. The campus student population includes 42% Hispanic, 33% Black and 21% White, according to the school's report card from the Tennessee Department of Education.
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La Vergne police serve city with significant industry
La Vergne's median household income measured in 2021 dollars was $67,102, which was below neighboring Smyrna's $70,879 but higher than Murfreesboro's $66,984, according to U.S. Census Bureau websites.
The future chief also will lead a growing city with significant industry, including the Bridgestone tire factory, off Waldron Road by the nearby boundary with Nashville.
"We have the largest industrial complex in the state," Cole said. "Our population more than doubles during the working hours."
The manufacturing and supply chain workforce also includes Cardinal Health, Ingram, the Icee headquarters and distribution center, Quanta, Wayfair, Staples, DHL, two Amazon operations, UPS, FedEx, Coca-Cola, Anheuser-Busch, and a Tennessee Farmers Cooperative "Co-Op" that's adding seven buildings that total over a million square feet, the mayor said.
Tire factory pay issues: Bridgestone reaches tentative agreement with La Vergne United Steelworkers, 5 other plants
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.
What police chief finalists have to say
Michael Bell, police chief in Coweta, a Tulsa suburb in Oklahoma
"I would like to say how honored I am to be selected as a finalist to be the next chief of police for the city of La Vergne. My name is Michael Bell, for the past nine years, I have been the chief of police for the city of Coweta in Oklahoma. I am very happily married to my wonderful wife, Sandra, and we are raising our two grandchildren, Akadian 7, and Dylan 6. From our family to yours. Thank you for allowing us to become a part of your city and family. We cannot wait to meet everyone soon."
Thomas Herion, police chief in Lyons, a Chicago suburb
"Born and raised on the west and northwest sides of Chicago, I graduated from the Chicago Police Academy and have been in federal, state and local law enforcement. I am married and have three children. I am currently the chief of Police for the Lyons Police Department and have held that position for the last 4-plus years." Herion also touts experience that includes serving as assistant commissioner for Chicago's Department of Aviation Police Safety and Security; supervisor special agent for U.S. Department of Homeland Security; director of law enforcement administration and professor at Robert Morris University. His education includes earning a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Northeastern Illinois University and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Illinois Chicago.
David Imhof, director of Office of Investigation and Conduct within the Tennessee Department of Correction in Nashville
David Imhof is the director of the Office of Investigation and Conduct for criminal and internal affairs within the Tennessee Department of Correction. His responsibility includes fugitive apprehensions. Prior to his current job, Imhoff was a 30-year veteran with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. He held a variety positions within the department including inspector over the Office of Alternative Policing Strategies, commander over East Precinct, captain with Criminal Investigations Division, and field supervisor captain. Imhof has served the city of Nashville as a youth services detective, homicide detective, hostage negotiator, sergeant, and lieutenant. He earned a master's degree in mental health counseling from Trevecca University in Nashville and a bachelor's degree from Hanover (Indiana) College.
Capt. Christopher Moews of Milwaukee Police Department
Capt. Christopher Moews 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.
Police Capt. William Nas of Casselberry (Florida) Police Department
William Nas currently serves as a captain with the Casselberry Police Department in central Florida. Nas commands the department's Operations Bureau with 52 sworn officers and three civilian positions, which compromise patrol, traffic, criminal investigations and the community response team. He also is responsible for managing the agency fleet and is a member of the building team opening a brand new 22,000-square-foot police headquarters this September. Nas is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, is an attorney licensed to practice law in Florida and the Middle District of Florida, and has 23 years experience in law enforcement management.
Source: La Vergne city spokeswoman Anne Smith
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Police chief finalists from outside La Vergne compete for TN job
