Reorganization Announced
Chief Ronal Serpas today announced a major restructuring of the Metropolitan Police Department designed to streamline operations, reduce bureaucracy and save money.Effective May 16, the police department will move from five to three bureaus: Patrol Services, Investigative Services and Administrative Services. The existing Specialized Field Services Bureau will be eliminated. The current East & West Patrol Bureaus will be merged into one.
"In evaluating the police department's organizational structure, it has become clear to me that we are too top heavy, and that three bureaus will be much more efficient than the existing five," Chief Serpas said. "Our many components can easily fit into one of the three bureaus. This will allow for consistency of operations across the board and greater accountability. For example, all patrol operations will soon report to one chief instead of our current situation where half of the city reports to one chief and the other half to another-a circumstance that many lieutenants, captains and chiefs complained about during my interviews with them."
Also effective May 16, the rank of assistant police chief will be abolished. Current Assistant Chiefs Steve Anderson and Joseph Bishop, along with Captain Marjorie Pike, will be appointed to the position of Deputy Chief on that date and will each command one of the three bureaus (Anderson is currently an assistant chief, serving in an appointed capacity as Deputy Chief/Support Operations Commander). Chief Serpas will make bureau assignments for the three deputy chiefs within the next two weeks.
These three have a strong, working knowledge of the Metropolitan Police Department, and their experiences will be very important as we continue the reshaping process.
As a result of the streamlining of operations, current Assistant Chiefs Judy Bawcum, Richard Briggance, Valerie Meece and Mickey Miller will revert to the rank of captain on May 16. Their new supervisory assignments have not yet been determined.
"Assistant Chiefs Bawcum, Briggance, Meece and Miller have each dedicated their professional lives to the safety of Nashville's citizens," Serpas said. "I applaud and deeply appreciate each of their tremendous contributions to this police department, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead to reduce crime and enhance services to Nashville's families and guests. Each of the four remains a valued member of this agency. I must emphasize that changes in their rank and assignments are not at all based on performance, but rather are directly tied to the streamlining of department functions."
As the most senior females on the department in terms of rank, deputy chief options were discussed by Chief Serpas with Assistant Chiefs Bawcum and Meece. Both elected to remove themselves from consideration at this point in their careers.
Additional elements of the police department's evolving reorganization plan will be announced during the next several weeks once details are finalized. Those elements include the decentralization of certain detective components and the reassignment of various police department captains.
Chief Serpas said no other elements of the reorganization plan contemplate the elimination of any other rank, or the reversion of any other class of officers.
Anderson, 56, is a 29-year veteran of the police department. Bishop, 48, is a 23-year veteran. Pike, 48, is a 27-year veteran.
Chief Ronal Serpas today announced a major restructuring of the police department
that streamlines operations and reduces the number of bureaus from five
to three.
Joining Chief Serpas at today's announcement are (l-r) soon to be newly
appointed Deputy Chiefs Joseph Bishop, Marjorie Pike and Steve Anderson.
With them is Office of Professional Accountability Director Kennetha Sawyers,
also a member of Chief Serpas' executive staff.
