Group wants to let Nashville voters decide on police oversight board

Stymied by the Metro Council, a group that wants to see a civilian oversight of the police department wants to send the issue to Nashville voters.

Members of a Nashville coalition called Community Oversight Now had pushed the council to create a civilian panel to review complaints against police. Those efforts failed — the council in January voted against a public hearing on the matter.

► More: Resisted by mayor, Nashville advocates look to council for citizen oversight of police

On Wednesday, the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in Memphis, the group announced plans to get the issue on the ballot for the Nov. 6 ballot. To do so, the group said, they will need to collect 4,300 signatures on a petition before August.

The group noted that King had supported civilian-led oversight boards.

"Dr. King's pursuit of nonviolence, liberation and justice is not just a dream or propaganda rolled out for anniversaries," a statement announcing the petition drive said. The board "represents the best of Dr. King and the most significant step Nashville has taken to address police accountability."

The creation of a citizen oversight panel has become a top priority for social justice advocates and black community leaders in Nashville following the 2017 fatal shooting of Jocques Clemmons, a 31-year-old black man, by a Metro police officer.

More: 10 months later: Metro officer who fatally shot Jocques Clemmons still on desk duty

Supporters say a citizens oversight panel is needed because of what they allege is racial bias in police departments nationally.

Under advocates' proposal, community oversight panel would have the authority to investigate complaints and render decisions based on their findings.

More than 100 cities have some type of police review commission, according to advocates including Atlanta, Charlotte, N.C., Memphis, Austin, Texas and Denver. They say community oversight boards go back to the 1940s and were a rallying cry of Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s.

Joey Garrison contributed to this report.

Reach Adam Tamburin at atamburin@tennessean.com and 615-726-5986. Follow him on Twitter @tamburintweets.