Beyonc Concert Fully-Staffed By Metro Officers

The upcoming Beyoncé concert at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium will be fully staffed and secured by police officers.

The decision comes amid calls from the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police for officers not to volunteer to work at the Queen Bee’s concert after the singer references the Black Panther movement during her halftime show performance for Super Bowl 50.

They also wanted to protest her video “Formation” which seemed to reference the Black Lives Matter groups that has been critical of police over officer-involved shootings in other parts of the county.

“We ask officers to refuse to support the efforts of artists who promote a false narrative of law enforcement attacks on black citizens,” said Sergeant Danny Hale in February.

Hale serves as the President of the Nashville FOP.

Metro Nashville Police Department Chief Steve Anderson said officers from were necessary for all big events in Music City.

“Public safety requires that the police department staff major special events,” he said.

Department spokesperson Don Aaron said in addition to securing safety at the event, police officers will work a traffic plan around the stadium.

In an email regarding the voluntary assignments, Chief Anderson stressed the staffing plan was routine for all special events in the city.

Sergeant Hale stressed that he was not asking officers to boycott the event, but instead, not volunteer to work. “We know the officers will be mandated to work this event,” Sergeant Hale said. “We will do our sworn duty to protect, even those who support lawless attacks on us, this is what we do.”

Chief Anderson gave officers until April 15 to volunteer to work the event. After that time some officers would be given mandatory assignment.

Aaron said Monday that the event was already fully-staffed with volunteers. 

NewsChannel 5 reporter Emily Luxen talked about the FOP requestback in February.