Nashville Police Chief Removed by Town Council, Her Supporters Are “Ashamed” and “Outraged”

[HoughMade]

It outlines five main concerns over the course of several months:

• Lack of overall police presence during busy tourist hours
• Lack of foot patrols by Nashville Police
• Officers using patrol cars for personal use
• Too much overtime
• Burris living '68 miles' from Nashville

https://interactive.wthr.com/pdfs/Heather-Burris-8-14-24_20240814_0001-1.pdf

Wanda Jones?

There's certain irony to the residence issue, but lawyers can effectively lawyer from just about anywhere.

 

[Alamo]

Anyone know what the crime level is in Nashville these days? I can't imagine a lot of police action needed from the visits I've made there.

From the letter sounds like the town council was particularly concerned about shoplifting.

I grew up in, or rather near, Nashville. In fact, I was there before they had a town police department. Every village gets its share of idiots.

 

[bwframe]

Anyone know what the crime level is in Nashville these days? I can't imagine a lot of police action needed from the visits I've made there.

Local cops are often called to back up county officers, or during heavy call traffic actually take their call. Not uncommon to have only a couple sherrifs to patrol the whole county, along with the Brown County State Park.

Even though Nashville is a small town, the main drags are arteries between bigger cities. Add in the drug trade and illegals with seemingly nothing to lose...

Nashville is also a tourist town all year, on top of the seasonal leaf watchers and the traffic associated with the big music venue.

In the modern day, substance abuse and mental health problems generate a huge amount of 911 calls. A LOT of ambulance calls are put on standby, until an officer can verify a secure scene.

A lot of these calls seem mundane, but they require bodies in numbers. It's not spoke of a lot, but also not uncommon on busy weekends for accident victims and such to die waiting on EMS.

 

[JCSR]

Local cops are often called to back up county officers, or during heavy call traffic actually take their call. Not uncommon to have only a couple sherrifs to patrol the whole county, along with the Brown County State Park.

Even though Nashville is a small town, the main drags are arteries between bigger cities. Add in the drug trade and illegals with seemingly nothing to lose...

Nashville is also a tourist town all year, on top of the seasonal leaf watchers and the traffic associated with the big music venue.

In the modern day, substance abuse and mental health problems generate a huge amount of 911 calls. A LOT of ambulance calls are put on standby, until an officer can verify a secure scene.

A lot of these calls seem mundane, but they require bodies in numbers. It's not spoke of a lot, but also not uncommon on busy weekends for accident victims and such to die waiting on EMS.

It sounds like a complete overhaul of their system is needed. Of course someone has to pay for that.

 

[Ark]

Local cops are often called to back up county officers, or during heavy call traffic actually take their call. Not uncommon to have only a couple sherrifs to patrol the whole county, along with the Brown County State Park.

Even though Nashville is a small town, the main drags are arteries between bigger cities. Add in the drug trade and illegals with seemingly nothing to lose...

Nashville is also a tourist town all year, on top of the seasonal leaf watchers and the traffic associated with the big music venue.

In the modern day, substance abuse and mental health problems generate a huge amount of 911 calls. A LOT of ambulance calls are put on standby, until an officer can verify a secure scene.

A lot of these calls seem mundane, but they require bodies in numbers. It's not spoke of a lot, but also not uncommon on busy weekends for accident victims and such to die waiting on EMS.

Nashville gets BUSY during the season. It's not a particularly boozy town, which probably helps, but sheer crowd control and elderly boomer drama could easily overtask such a tiny department. Plus there's everything that comes in from the county or off the highway.

I honestly expect due to the geography that Brown County can be very difficult to police. Takes a long time to go short distances and there's a whole lot of land that doesn't belong to them.

 

[Alamo]

Wanda Jones?

There's certain irony to the residence issue, but lawyers can effectively lawyer from just about anywhere.

It appears that Wanda is a Nashvillian, registered to vote in Brown County (but not Lake County where the other law office is) and that the Nashville law office address might be the original/oldest. Looks like she is probably the registered agent for at least two local (Brown County) non-profits. And probably lives on SR 135 north of Nashville.

So local talent. No residency issues.

 

[Nazgul]

Nashville is a lot busier and has far more traffic than the small town we live in [1,000 people]. Our town Marshall, the third since I have been here, are older retired cops from other jurisdictions.
Not sure what they pay is, never looked. They have always been top notch when we have dealt with them. Again, very low traffic and low crime. We have been burgled once and had a handgun stolen from a vehicle. So not zero crime.

Don

 

[HoughMade]

It appears that Wanda is a Nashvillian, registered to vote in Brown County (but not Lake County where the other law office is) and that the Nashville law office address might be the original/oldest. Looks like she is probably the registered agent for at least two local (Brown County) non-profits. And probably lives on SR 135 north of Nashville.

So local talent. No residency issues.

Oh....I know.

 

[cosermann]

The linked letter [1], after detailing all the reasons for her dismissal, then says, "If HB were to resign immediately, the Town would provide her with a reference for future employers." Hilarious. A little late for that!

At least we know she wasn't fired for her nose piercing.

[1] - https://interactive.wthr.com/pdfs/Heather-Burris-8-14-24_20240814_0001-1.pdf

 

[bwframe]

The linked letter [1], after detailing all the reasons for her dismissal, then says, "If HB were to resign immediately, the Town would provide her with a reference for future employers." Hilarious. A little late for that!

At least we know she wasn't fired for her nose piercing.

[1] - https://interactive.wthr.com/pdfs/Heather-Burris-8-14-24_20240814_0001-1.pdf

Losing the chief with the face piercing might be one of the reasons for the community outrage? Maybe she was a pal, when a parent is needed? Just "one of," when a boss was needed?

Feewings from the locals, who are first to scream "council problem" when there is no local LEO, because someone called in sick and the chief is an hour plus out?

Regardless of job requirements outlined by the council, if Burris was actually an authority of the department, then her own inefficiency in timely availability should be a glaring issue, even to herself. This oversight on Burris' part could be a refection of her leadership?

 

[Reapingxranger]

Anyone seen the news on Center Township constable? If not that’s a whole laugh and a half in itself.

 

[Destro]

Local cops are often called to back up county officers, or during heavy call traffic actually take their call. Not uncommon to have only a couple sherrifs to patrol the whole county, along with the Brown County State Park.

Even though Nashville is a small town, the main drags are arteries between bigger cities. Add in the drug trade and illegals with seemingly nothing to lose...

Nashville is also a tourist town all year, on top of the seasonal leaf watchers and the traffic associated with the big music venue.

In the modern day, substance abuse and mental health problems generate a huge amount of 911 calls. A LOT of ambulance calls are put on standby, until an officer can verify a secure scene.

A lot of these calls seem mundane, but they require bodies in numbers. It's not spoke of a lot, but also not uncommon on busy weekends for accident victims and such to die waiting on EMS.

It sounds like a complete overhaul of their system is needed. Of course someone has to pay for that.

This is pretty standard for rural Indiana. It can be easy for a small department to get overwhelmed quickly with service calls.

 

[xwing]

From the letter posted, it sounds like they had good reason to terminate her employment. As an aside, she seems really young to be a police chief. And it sounds like her management was lacking; maybe just not enough experience for that level of responsibility....

 

[JCSR]

This is pretty standard for rural Indiana. It can be easy for a small department to get overwhelmed quickly with service calls.

Same here in Santa Claus. Then in the summer months we have 10-15K visitors to Holiday World.

 

[BigRed]

Same here in Santa Claus. Then in the summer months we have 10-15K visitors to Holiday World.

Yep...and that is a rough and tumble crowd.

 

[Gabriel]

Trying to get my nephew to apply for ISP. $70k right out of the academy...

Why do you hate your nephew?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

elderly boomer drama

Oh yeah. Boomers are a rowdy bunch.

 

[freekforge]

This is pretty standard for rural Indiana. It can be easy for a small department to get overwhelmed quickly with service calls.

Christmas eve 2017 I was the only officer on duty and I had 17 calls pending at shift change it was non stop all day long. That was a town of less than 1000.

From the letter posted, it sounds like they had good reason to terminate her employment. As an aside, she seems really young to be a police chief. And it sounds like her management was lacking; maybe just not enough experience for that level of responsibility....

Couple years ago summitville had a 23 year old chief. That's how desperate places are.

I was offered $12 an hour to be a town marshal...wasn't gonna happen.

 

[Flash-hider]

Her? Maybe after a beer or two.

Now the one congratulating her?

“How YOU doin?”

Definitely the one on the left can jolly me up anytime. Knowing when she's on duty could make one want to commit a crime.

 

[JCSR]

Definitely the one on the left can jolly me up anytime. Knowing when she's on duty could make one want to commit a crime.