NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) seized files from a law firm that was conducting an inquiry into allegations of police misconduct involving the Metro Nashville Police Department. The investigation, prompted by a whistleblower complaint, has raised serious questions about transparency and the role of state authorities in the matter.
In 2024, the law firm Butler Snow was tasked with investigating a 61-page whistleblower complaint filed by former Nashville police lieutenant Garet Davidson. The complaint alleges that police leadership secretly worked with state lawmakers to dismantle the Community Oversight Board (COB), a body established by Nashville voters to oversee police conduct and investigate complaints of misconduct.
The investigation took a dramatic turn in November 2024 when the TBI raided Butler Snow’s offices. The move has raised concerns within the Community Review Board (CRB), an advisory group that monitors the progress of the investigation. Attorney Frank Brazil, a member of the CRB, stated during a recent meeting that he had only recently learned of the raid, several months after it occurred. Brazil expressed frustration over the lack of communication from local authorities regarding the raid and the implications it may have on the ongoing investigation.
“There’s no clear guidance about why this raid occurred or how it affects the investigation,” Brazil said, adding that the CRB deserves an explanation. “It does appear that the investigation has been compromised to at least some extent.”
The timing of the raid is particularly concerning, as earlier in September 2024, TBI agents had also raided Davidson’s home, further escalating the situation. The CRB, which was not informed of either raid until March 2025, has expressed alarm over the secrecy surrounding these developments.
CRB Chairperson Alisha Haddock voiced her disbelief that the law firm involved in such a significant investigation was raided without the board being informed. “It’s totally beyond me. I can’t even think of a scenario where the legal department for the Metropolitan Government would not inform a department that was involved or named in these allegations,” Haddock said.
In response to the growing concerns, the CRB has called on Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell to issue a public statement regarding both the investigation and the TBI raids. However, the mayor’s office has declined to provide further comment on the matter. A spokesperson from the mayor’s office referred to a letter issued by O’Connell and Wallace Dietz, the Metro Legal Law Director, which stated that the mayor and his office had no involvement in the investigation other than selecting Butler Snow to handle it. The letter emphasized the investigation’s independence, asserting that any involvement by Metro officials would be inappropriate.
“The Butler Snow team is fully capable of conducting the investigation independently, and any dealings with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are outside the scope of our involvement,” the letter stated.
While the mayor’s office has refrained from commenting further, the TBI has directed inquiries to the court clerk’s office, noting that any information related to the case is a matter of public record.
The CRB had previously been assured that the investigation would be handled fairly and impartially, though the recent developments have cast doubt on that assurance. The raid on Butler Snow raises significant questions about the integrity of the process and the possible interference of state authorities in a case that touches on sensitive issues of police oversight.
As the investigation continues, the public remains in the dark about key aspects of the case, with many calling for greater transparency and accountability from local and state officials.
This situation underscores the ongoing tension between the need for independent oversight of law enforcement and the challenges of maintaining transparency in sensitive investigations involving powerful public institutions.
