NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - More than a dozen city officials have signed a resolution seeking to oust a Tennessee police chief.
At least 15 Nashville Metro Council members have signed the document that calls for Mayor John Cooper to call for the resignation of Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson and pursue “meaningful policy and behavioral change” in the agency, news outlets reported Tuesday.
Anderson has been criticized in recent years, with activists and some city leaders saying he has resisted change and transparency. Calls for his resignation have intensified amid a wave of protests calling for police reforms.
Activists across the nation are demanding changes to policing after the death of George Floyd, a black man who died last month in Minneapolis after a white officer pressed his knee against the handcuffed man’s neck for nearly 9 minutes.
“In order for police practices to change in Nashville and in order to build trust between the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and communities of color in Nashville, a change in leadership is essential,” the resolution states.
Cooper’s office hasn’t responded to questions about the chief.
Police spokesman Don Aaron said Anderson “welcomes one on one dialogue with council members.”
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