Press Release

February 18, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Chief Ronal Serpas this afternoon announced the promotion of seven persons to new supervisory ranks within the police department effective immediately.  Included among the seven are one new captain, two new lieutenants and four new sergeants.

"These seven individuals have a combined 108 years of dedicated and outstanding service to the citizens of Nashville and are part of our police department's rich pool of talent that families, businesses and visitors rely on every day to help keep them safe," Serpas said.  "I have every confidence they will excel in their new supervisory roles."

 The seven are identified as:
·        Captain Terrence Graves, a 12-year police department veteran who most recently supervised the North Precinct's day shift.  Graves is now one of the police department's field supervisors.  He holds a Bachelors Degree from Alabama State University.
·        Lieutenant Keith Stephens, an 8-year police department veteran who most recently worked as a supervisor on the Hermitage Precinct's overnight shift and as a police department liaison to the Davidson County Grand Jury.  Stephens is now the North Precinct's day shift supervisor.  He holds an Associates Degree from Columbia Southern University.
·        Lieutenant John Drake, a 22-year police department veteran who most recently worked in the Office of Professional Accountability.  Drake is now the Hermitage Precinct's afternoon shift supervisor.  He will graduate next month from the Southeastern Command & Leadership Academy at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.  Including his class work at the academy, MTSU and TSU, Drake, as of next month, will have accumulated more than 60 higher education semester hours, equivalent to an Associates Degree.
·        Sergeant David Merlin, a 25-year police department veteran who most recently worked as a Field Training Officer on the North Precinct's afternoon shift.  Merlin is now a supervisor on the Central Precinct's overnight shift.
·        Sergeant Daniel Henkel, an 8-year police department veteran who most recently worked as a detective in the South Precinct's Investigations Unit.  Henkel is now a supervisor on the Central Precinct's overnight shift.  He holds a Bachelors Degree from MTSU.
·        Sergeant Jeff Goodwin, a 21-year police department veteran who most recently worked as a detective in the Specialized Investigations Division.  Goodwin is now a supervisor on the South Precinct's afternoon shift.  He holds a Bachelors Degree from Trevecca Nazarene University.
·        Sergeant Michael Waltz, a 12-year police department veteran who most recently worked as an officer on the North Precinct's day shift.  Waltz is now a supervisor on the Hermitage Precinct's overnight shift.  He holds a Bachelors Degree from MTSU.

 Chief Serpas also announced that Lieutenant David Corman, who most recently supervised the Traffic Unit, is now the police department's Special Events Coordinator.  Lieutenant Kenneth Walburn, who most recently supervised the Hermitage Precinct's afternoon shift, is the new Traffic Unit supervisor.

The Fraternal Order of Police is the world's largest organization of sworn law enforcement personnel, with more than 318,000 members in more than 2,100 lodges. Andrew Jackson Lodge 5 of the Fraternal Order of Police is an organization made up of full-time and retired full time law enforcement. Lodge 5 is open to local, state and federal law enforcement personnel stationed in the Nashville area.