Police Department

Operations Division

The Operations Division consists of the Internal Investigation Section and the Records Section.

• Internal Investigations Section
• Records Section
• Information Desk
• Information Systems
• Purchasing and Research Section

Internal Investigations Section

The Internal Investigations Section conducts investigations of complaints against police officers, primarily from citizens who have had an unsatisfactory or unpleasant experience with an officer. Most of the complaints are minor in nature, but this section does have the power to investigate more serious allegations, including criminal charges. The entire process is set up to discover the truth, being as fair as possible, while protecting the rights of everyone involved. Substantiated allegations are dealt with in accordance with the policies of the Department, the City of Murfreesboro and state and federal laws. Complainants may be prosecuted if they file false complaints.

A major factor in settling disputes arising out of citizen complaints is videotape. Almost all of our police units are equipped with mobile video recorders, and officers are required to videotape their interactions with citizens. A video recording of an encounter can undeniably show the investigator what really happened during the incident in question. For that purpose, the Internal Investigations Section purchases and distributes blank videotapes for supervisors to install in the mobile recorders as needed. Once the tape is recorded, it is forwarded to the Internal Investigations Section to be catalogued and stored.

Copies of certain portions of the tapes are routinely requested by officers, defense attorneys and prosecutors to assist in settling criminal cases. This often leads to guilty pleas instead of long, drawn-out trials. We have been videotaping these events since 1993, and we currently have more than 11,000 recorded tapes in our library.

The Operations Major is responsible for seeking out alternative sources of funding and submitting grants to state and federal agencies to assist the City of Murfreesboro in providing better police service to its citizens. Through that process, we have added more than 40 officers to our force, provided specialized training to many officers, and purchased thousands of dollars worth of equipment and technology during the past several years.

The Operations Major is responsible for drafting and revising the Department's rules and regulations (called General Orders) as needed. The Department currently operates under more than 150 General Orders which set out procedures for officers to follow in almost every circumstance imaginable. Each officer is issued a complete set of the General Orders upon employment, and receives instruction in the proper application of these Orders.

The Operations Division also arranges off-duty work for officers who request it, and for outside employers who want to hire an off-duty officer for security purposes. We have strict guidelines about the nature of acceptable off-duty jobs, and a strict process for requesting and approving the jobs. Officers who perform off-duty work are paid directly by the secondary employer, and the Department does not receive any portion of those wages.

Records Section

The Records Sectionconsists of six (6) civilian employees and a commanding Captain, who is a certified police officer. This department is responsible for the storage and maintenance of all records and property submitted by police officers. The daily duties for Records personnel include computer data entry using a Records Management System (RMS), receipt of telephone inquiries regarding reports and property, mailing of requested reports, and providing data as needed by others. Each month, Records personnel submit and correct local statistical data of incidents to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI). Other duties include compiling local Crime Trend data, inventory property, and prepare and assist with a periodic police auction to dispose of property which has been authorized for disposition by the courts.

If you have questions concerning police reports or personal property, contact the Records Section at (615) 849-2637.

Information Desk

TheInformation Desk clerk on duty will greet you as you enter the lobby of Police Headquarters. Their most important job is to greet and assist everyone who enters with compassion and a smile. These clerks receive payments for all crash and police incident reports requested by the public, fingerprints taken for personal use, and videotapes requested. They also answer all incoming general information calls and provide assistance and directions to visitors. If they are unable to help the visitor, they will direct the person to the proper department for further assistance. The Information Desk is staffed by five (5) part-time employees.

The general information number for the Police Department is (615) 849-2670.

Copies of most police reports are available seven (7) days a week from 7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. through the Information Deskin the lobby of Police Headquarters. Typical charges are as follows:

Description Cost

• Police Incident or Crash Reports: $5.00
• Fingerprints (1^st Card - Same Person) $5.00
• Additional Cards - Same Person $2.00
• Videotape Copies $25.00

Information Systems

It is the responsibility of Information Systems to support the Public Safety mission by providing the best possible service for our citizens. Information Systems (IS) provides support for mission-critical public safety information services. In addition, technical support is also provided for users accessing administrative software and data. IS is responsible for management of the department-wide network and for proper connection of all LANs, WANs, and other voice and data communications. IS is tasked with the integration of mobile technology into Police and Fire vehicles. IS exists to provide dependable, efficient, timely, and cost-effective voice and data communication technology, research and services.

The Public Safety MIS Coordinator Bill Terry may be contacted at (615) 849-2685.

Purchasing and Research

The Purchasing and Research Section is tasked with developing bid specification packages, procuring most of the fixed assets purchased for the Police Department, developing inventory controls for fixed assets and research as assigned on special projects.

If you would like to receive copies of current bid packages or be added to the bid list for certain items, please contact this office at (615) 849-2672 or fax (615) 848-3260.

Welcome!
from Glenn Chrisman, Murfreesboro Police Chief

Welcome to the web page for the Murfreesboro Police Department. We hope the information provided on these pages will be of assistance to you regarding the services provided by our department.

At Murfreesboro Police, we are committed to the protection of life and the prevention of crime and disorder in support of our ultimate goal of creating a better quality of life for our citizens, visitors and ourselves. To accomplish this goal, we need the help and support of all members of our community. As a community-policing department, we are interested in building partnerships with community members in order to improve our ability to solve problems, prevent crime and improve the quality of our police services.

Please feel free to contact our department at any time with questions about police services or suggestions for improvement.