MNPD implements changes after 2 officers attacked in 24 hours

(WKRN) – The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) is implementing changes after two officers were attacked in less than 24 hours in the same area. 

Both incidents took place on South Seventh Street at the Cayce Homes, a public housing development run by the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency (MDHA). 

The first attack happened when an officer was cut while responding to a call Monday night. The next night, another officer was attacked by a crowd as he attempted to arrest a man for assault. 

New changes were announced by the police department Wednesday, with Chief Steve Anderson announcing “attacks on police officers will not be tolerated.” 

Effective immediately, the following changes will be implemented in the area of South Seventh: 

    Flex officers from all three shifts of the East Precinct will be assigned to the Cayce neighborhood for at least the next several days 

    The MDHA Task Force, a group of five officers and one sergeant specifically assigned to public housing communities, will be working exclusively at the Cayce Homes until further notice 

    A crime reduction initiative, staffed by extra-duty officers being paid overtime, is being implemented in the area for at least the next several days 

    Two Sky Cop mobile camera systems are being set up, with one being deployed to the specific area where the officers were attacked on Monday and Tuesday nights 

    Officers will no longer patrol alone but go out in pairs 

    The area will be monitored periodically by an MNPD helicopter 

    Representatives of the clergy, at the MNPD’s request, will establish a presence in the South Seventh Street area to reduce tensions and work toward a non-violent resolution to disputes 

“The 1,900 persons who reside in James Cayce Homes deserve a safe and peaceful community, and this police department is working with them to accomplish just that,” Chief Anderson said. 

“From the information we have developed since Monday, the fighting in the S. 7th Street area involved a dispute among young women over young men. Tensions and tempers have obviously gotten out of control. I want to be clear that Officer Josh Hausman on Monday night, and Officer Matthew Cammarn last night, had come to that neighborhood to protect citizens from harm and were attacked in the process,” the chief added. 

Mayor Megan Barry released a statement regarding the two attacks Wednesday, saying they are “outrageous and completely unacceptable.” 

“Our officers put their lives on the line to promote the safety and well-being of our citizens. Anyone who commits an act of violence against them should be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” the mayor continued in the statement released via Twitter. 

MDHA also release a statement Wednesday that said, in full: 

    We are working with Metro Police, the District Attorney’s Office and the Mayor’s Office on this matter, and we continue to invest in security measures at our properties. Our plans include adding several hundred new outdoor cameras on our properties, including 150 here at Cayce Place in 2016. We also have an MDHA Task Force, which is made up of Metro Police officers who patrol our properties. 

    In addition to our efforts, Metro Police is adding extra security measures at Cayce Place to enhance the safety of our families, members of the community and Metro Police.