In response to an increasing number of Nashvillians and visitors heading to the city’s downtown Entertainment District on Friday and Saturday evenings, the MNPD today announces a new public safety initiative that will put a team of 17 additional officers in the Entertainment District corridor on each of the two weekend nights.
Beginning this Friday, the 17 member team (14 officers, 2 sergeants and 1 lieutenant) will be divided into two five-hour shifts, 6 p.m.-11 p.m. and 11 p.m.-4 a.m. They will conduct high visibility patrols on foot, bike and UTV, and make periodic, unannounced visits to downtown establishments. Lower Broadway, 2nd Avenue North, Printer’s Alley and 3rd Avenue South are among the areas that will be covered by the initiative. The additional police presence, which will be staffed by volunteer extra-duty officers being paid overtime, will cover the 3 a.m. closing time of venues that serve alcohol as an additional deterrent to any disputes among patrons.
As part of the Entertainment District Initiative, 3rd Avenue South from Broadway to Demonbreun will be closed by the MNPD on Friday and Saturday nights to relieve the pedestrian congestion in the area of 3rd and Broadway (valet parking for House of Cards, Florida Georgia Line and other establishments on 3rd Avenue South will continue to be permitted). The time of the closure will be dependent on pedestrian volume, but would occur no later than 11 p.m.
The downtown area has seen a 50% increase in thefts when compared to the first six months of 2018. Most of those thefts involve small items like cell phones and wallets, which, for the most part, are being taken while the victims are visiting crowded bars. Central Precinct officers are working to reduce those thefts by going undercover in the establishments in an effort to identify and arrest those responsible. Patrons can also help reduce their chances of becoming victims by keeping phones, purses and wallets secured and in their physical possession at all times.
Officers working the Entertainment District Initiative are in addition to the on-duty resources already in place through the Central Precinct and other MNPD components, including the Mounted Unit.