Chief John Drake Honors the MNPD's Employees of the Year for 2022

Chief John Drake today honored the MNPD’s 2022 Employees of the Year whose outstanding work and dedication to Nashville helped to make our city a safer place.

“Employees of the year are chosen from dozens of nominations from across the police department, each one representing our core pillar of organizational excellence,” Chief Drake said. “I am very proud of these 13 individuals.”

The 2022 honorees are:

Community Services Bureau Patrol Officers of the Year for 2022:

Officers Nicholas Carter and Steven Williams from the South Precinct

On February 16, 2022, a man was dropped off at Southern Hills Medical Center with a fatal gunshot wound to his abdomen. Homicide detectives reviewed hospital surveillance video and sent out information department-wide as to a suspect vehicle and persons of interest.

The next day, Officer Carter located the vehicle at a hotel on Metroplex Drive in South Nashville. He and Officer Williams reviewed hotel surveillance footage, conducted interviews, identified a witness in the homicide case, and determined the room in which the witness was staying. Their work helped detectives significantly advance the investigation. Three persons have been indicted on murder charges for their involvement in the shooting.

Community Services Bureau Community Engagement Officer of the Year for 2022:

Officer James Wells from the Midtown Hills Precinct

Officer Wells recruited local businesses to join him in a Social Etiquette Class for high schoolers. The class teaches students the basic skills and qualifications they need to be successful in the workplace. They get to hear firsthand from potential employers, such as Kroger, Check-Fil-A, Walgreen’s and others, as they discuss the traits, skills and qualities that can help them get a job and then advance up the career ladder.

Community Services Bureau Investigators of the Year for 2022:

Detectives Paul Harris, Amy Hirschmann, Ronald Raynore, Michael Rogers, Matthew Turppa, Carney White, and Kyle Whitfield

These detectives, each representing one of seven precincts, came together as a team in 2022 to investigate organized commercial burglars known as the Sledgehammer Crew, who were responsible for dozens of business break-ins throughout Nashville.

Review of surveillance videos led to the identification of commonalities in the cases, including clothing, masks, and the use of three specific vehicles. As a result of their investigative teamwork, three persons, including the leader of the Sledgehammer crew, were identified and arrested, bringing an end to their crime spree. Some 58 business burglaries were connected to the group.

Investigative Services Bureau Investigator of the Year for 2022

Detective Madison Meiss from the Homicide Unit

In March 2021, three-year-old Jamaylah Marlowe and her two-year-old sister were sitting in their mother’s car in Cumberland View Housing when gunfire erupted in the area. Bother children were shot, Jamaylah fatally.
Detective Meiss was assigned this case and worked tirelessly to develop potential suspects. She viewed hours of video surveillance and obtained 38 search warrants to further the investigation, which led to the identification of armed individuals from the night of the shooting and the seizure of eight guns. Ultimately, one man was identified as the suspected shooter of Jamaylah and her sister. Through the outstanding work of Detective Meiss, he was indicted in 2022 on a first-degree murder charge and multiple counts of aggravated assault. He is due to appear in Criminal Court in March.

Support Services Bureau Officer of the Year for 2022:

Detective Jason Cregan, representing the Warrants Division & the U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force

In February 2022, Detective Cregan and Task Force members located and arrested a 19-year-old Chicago murder suspect who was hiding in the attic of a home on Prairie Hill Road in South Nashville. Detective Cregan’s work in this investigation led to the seizure of numerous items of evidence from the home indicative of other crimes. Those items included three guns, 2,000 rounds of ammunition, 354 vehicle keys or key fobs, 22 credit cards, a money counter and $3,000 cash.

Professional Support Employee of the Year for 2022:

Health & Fitness Unit Manager Ecko Johnson

Every team needs a leader to keep their players on the field. That is exactly what Ecko Johnson has accomplished since becoming the physical fitness director for officers in training, as well as pre-hires.
Since implementing a fitness, wellness, and nutrition program for men and women about to enter the academy, her efforts to keep trainees physically and mentally on track greatly benefit their overall health and wellness, allowing them to stay on course to graduate. She also organizes department-wide fitness initiatives for all employees, sworn and civilian. Additionally, Ms. Johnson organized a very successful cross-country running event with Metro school students who may one day consider becoming police officers themselves.

A video featuring today’s awards ceremony