NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Funding for a new Antioch Police Precinct was removed from consideration after Metro City Council members failed to pass a substitute budget.
Residents in the area are complaining about long police response times, according to Councilwoman Delishia Porterfield.
The proposed funding would have allowed the department to hire new officers and equipment. A new facility has not yet been built. The project has support from Metro Chief of Police Steve Anderson.
"We have 533 square miles in the city of Nashville. Every time we add a precinct, it decreases the size of other precincts and allows those commanders and the people who work there to be closer to their neighborhood," said Anderson.
Porterfield said the idea has been under consideration for two years. She said it would result in the hiring of dozens of police officers.
"Currently, we get calls from our constituents who are calling the police and they are waiting two or three hours for officers to come out," said Porterfield. "We're serviced by the South precinct and the Hermitage Precinct and the commanders are doing a wonderful job servicing our community, but they're stretched thin because of the coverage that they have."
Metro's Body camera program also was not awarded the amount of money it needs. They received $1.6 million less than they requested.
