Policing in Nashville with Chief John Drake

Nashville’s Chief of Police, John Drake, grew up in Nashville and became a patrol officer in 1988. He has watched how the job has evolved—from the types of crimes patrol officers investigate to the tools they use to make arrests. Drake says his main priorities are reducing crime while maintaining public trust and protecting citizens’ rights. He also weighs in on using the National Guard in American cities to address crime. Overall, Drake notes that crime in Nashville has fallen significantly, with homicides down 30% and nonlethal shootings down 40%. He also discusses the use of license plate readers, the rise in juvenile crime, and the culture within the Nashville Police Department. This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.