NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Parks is implementing a $2.4 million security enhancement program that will place armed guards at community centers and park facilities across Davidson County, officials announced.
The new security measures begin Friday, September 5, following years of planning by the department to address safety concerns at public facilities.
"In the past we have had shooting at community centers. We've had threats of many kind that happened. This was a discussion we had internally as a department that this was the route to go," said Stevon Neloms, Assistant Parks Director for Wellness and Cultural Arts.
When visitors enter community centers, they will now be greeted by armed security personnel positioned at the front entrance. The guards will focus their efforts inside community centers but will cover the entire parks' footprint.
"When they walk into the building they'll see an armed guard front center. They are coming in for a swim, for basketball, open gym or visiting our space. They'll be welcome with a guard," Neloms said.
The department is implementing the security measures in phases, starting with facilities that have experienced the most safety concerns.
"We started out with our most violent centers, with the centers where the threat was more present and then we move forward to all our sites," Neloms said.
Park visitors I spoke with expressed mixed reactions to the enhanced security presence. Les McFadden, who was journaling near Centennial Park's pond, reflected on the peaceful atmosphere many parks typically provide.
"My goals are to be present and to love as much as possible," McFadden said.
He noted the generally positive environment at the parks.
"Everyone is minding their business, laughing and having a good time around these areas," McFadden said.
Some community center users welcomed the added security measures. One visitor said knowing trained personnel are present provides peace of mind.
"If there's any worst case scenario there's someone here dealing with the job instead of me having to go on pure fight or flight mode," Nick Hall said.
The security services will be provided by Archangel Security and Allied Universal. Guards will be present whenever community centers are open and will cover key locations including the Centennial Sportsplex, Hamilton Creek Marina, Permitting Office and community centers throughout Davidson County.
According to Metro Parks Director Monique Horton Odom, the security personnel will be highly trained in active threat response and will coordinate with Metro Parks Police and the Metro Nashville Police Department.
"These new and needed resources enhance the efforts of both our Parks Police and MNPD and underscores our unwavering commitment to providing a secure environment for every child, adult and staff member who use and work at our facilities," Odom said.
The security enhancements are funded through the department's FY26 operating budget and bring Nashville's community centers in line with security measures used in other areas.
"This service brings us up to par with many community centers throughout the nation including Rutherford County," Neloms said. "This also allows our community center staff to focus on programming and customer service."
Metro Parks oversees nearly 16,000 acres of open space, including 189 parks and 110 miles of greenway throughout Davidson County.
What do you think about armed guards at Nashville parks? Do you feel safer, or do you have concerns about this approach? I'd love to hear from you - send me an email at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
