Private security says Nashville police have unfair monopoly on special events
Nashville TN April 18 2018 Nashville police methodically pushed out private security companies in a bid to achieve a monopoly on securing the city’s many special events, argue several companies in a federal lawsuit filed Monday.
The lawsuit follows a USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee investigation into the ballooning overtime costs borne by police who work at chicken festivals and 5Ks at taxpayer expense.
“MNPD has begun a practice and procedure taking over all of major events in Davidson County and Private security companies no longer can compete for these projects, which had been financed without the use of public funds, because of the practices and rules imposed upon the industry by the MNPD,” the lawsuit states.
“Events, which had been handled in the past at the expense of private vendors, are now a burden upon Metro taxpayers for the mere purpose of executing the anticompetitive
Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson has defended the department’s actions, saying its in the best interest of the city to have on-duty officers working at these often crowded events.
“As the result of violence and terror attacks around the world and in the U.S., some existing or newer events may receive some or full in-kind police services in the keen interest of public safety,” police spokesman Don Aaron said in March.
Police and the Nashville law department declined to comment on the lawsuit.
The Network investigation found Nashville police overtime increased significantly in recent years, from $6.1 million in 2014 to $9.1 million in 2017. That spike is thanks in large part to officers working at special events.
In many cases, officers doubled or otherwise significantly increased their annual pay while monitoring traffic or crowds at sporting events and concerts.
In the past, private security would work some or many of these events. The firms would typically hire current or former police officers, and the event coordinator would pay the security costs.
However, Nashville police have taken over much of the security at these events. As of April 1, Nashville police can no longer work for private security companies in the city. In 2017, 175 of the department’s 1,342 police officers worked for private security companies.
On-duty officers working at special events means taxpayers, not event organizers, pay the overtime costs for those officers.
For example, organizers of the Nashville Pride Festival contracted with a private security firm that hired off-duty police to provide armed security. Armed security at the Pride festival is now staffed solely by Metro officers.
Comprehensive Security’s owner, Loyd Poteete, previously told the Network he had provided security at the Pride event for about $20,000. Records for the 2017 event showed that police spent $52,000 in overtime.
Poteete’s company is one of three private security firms suing the police department.
The companies ask the federal judge to stop the police from continuing their current special event employment practices and award them “other, general relief.”
Tennessea
