Remarks of Metropolitan Nashville Police
Chief Ronal Serpas At His Swearing-in Ceremony
Mayor Purcell.Vice Mayor Gentry. members of
the Metro Council. elected officials.fellow Law Enforcement officials, my
Metro Police colleagues.and my fellow Nashvillians.Thank you very much for such a warm welcome on this chilly morning. I am sincerely honored to stand before you as Nashville's new Police Chief. Jill, Allie, Dustin, and I are grateful to have the opportunity to live and serve in such a great city.
Mayor Purcell, I am deeply appreciative of your confidence and support. and your support of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. I truly look forward to leading the talented men and women of the Metro Police Department as we make a difference in the lives of our friends, families, children and guest.
Our duty will be simple.come to work every day striving to make Nashville the safest big city in America - we will see results.
First and foremost, the violent crime rate IS going down. The drug dealers,
robbers and other criminals responsible for terrorizing our friends, families,
children and guests WILL be arrested and brought to justice. Those who are
wanted by the law will be returned to the courts.
Our police department WILL be integrated into the fabric of Nashville's diverse
communities. Police officers in neighborhoods from Bordeaux to Bellevue to
Madison.and from Hermitage to Antioch to Joelton. will work closely with citizens
to solve problems that undermine the quality of life that is so vitally important
to us all, and as equal partners to help us in crime fighting.
To truly make a difference, a police department must form strong partnerships
with the citizens it serves. I pledge to you today that the men and women
of this department will be working harder than ever before to gain your support
and trust. Together, we will achieve extraordinary successes in neighborhood
after neighborhood.
As we work to make Nashville a safer place, the Metro Police Department will
be Accessible, Open and Accountable.
We will be Accessible: you can rely on us to work closely with our neighborhoods and communities to solve problems
We will be Open: if you have questions, we are going to give you honest answers
We will be Accountable: when we report to work every day, we will be asking, "how can we be better today than we were yesterday?"
To make this a reality, we will use a management concept known as Accountability Driven Leadership to help us be our best. We will be giving commanders the freedom and responsibility to develop law enforcement strategies tailored to individual neighborhood needs. Accountability Driven Leadership will be implemented in the Metro Police Department very soon. And, we will share with you the results.
The Metro Police Department is NOT an agency in crisis, but rather is a great department with a rich history. It is my commitment to add to that history.
I want to acknowledge and thank Chief Emmett Turner and Chief Joe Casey who are here with us today as we celebrate the future of our department. To Deputy Chief Deborah Faulkner, I express my gratitude for serving as Interim Chief for the past nine months.
I also want to acknowledge and thank Chief Richard Pennington of the Atlanta Police Department for being with us today. Chief Pennington's work in Atlanta is creating dramatic crime reductions. The lessons we have learned will ensure that Nashville will also enjoy reductions in violent crime and fear of crime.
I am very proud to be the Chief leading a department of 18-hundred dedicated
officers and professional staff. I believe that law enforcement is the most
noble profession on the planet. You will very quickly discover that I will
be an active advocate of the fine police work done by our department that is
occurring now and will continue.
The men and women of this police department want to be the best there is.and
everyone who wants to be the best, has to work hard, be relentless, and will
have a valued place in our department.
We will ALWAYS focus on what CAN BE DONE!
We will NEVER focus on what CAN'T BE DONE!
We can make a difference EVERY DAY!
We will make a difference EVERY DAY!
But it will not be done alone - it will be done with our communities and
partners!
When Mayor Purcell selected me to be Chief of Police, he asked me to bring the department together to reduce crime and enhance the quality of life for Nashville's friends, families, children, and guests - simple marching orders. I am excited and energized knowing we're about to make a big difference in Nashville! Thank you all, and may God bless.