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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — For the first time, Metro Nashville Police Department helicopter operations are now based in an airport setting rather than at the training academy grounds in the Tucker Road neighborhood of Bordeaux.
Chief John Drake, Mayor Freddie O’Connell and representatives of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority cut the ribbon Wednesday on MNPD’s new Aviation Facility & Hangar at John C. Tune Airport.
The facility is nearly 22,000 square feet, including 10,000 square feet of hangar space and 12,000 square feet of office space for the department’s eight pilots, helicopter mechanics and tactical flight officers.
Police said the new space is a major upgrade from the department’s previous, more limited quarters.
The Aviation Unit plays a key role in public safety by helping reduce dangerous ground pursuits, as flight crews monitor fleeing vehicles from the air. In 2025, MNPD said its helicopters directly aided in the apprehension of 817 suspects.
North Nashville lost a passionate advocate and historian with the passing of Lorenzo Washington. I had the pleasure to get to know him while working on a story and left with a wealth of information and appreciation for how Jefferson Street shaped the sound of Music City. Aaron Cantrell shows us how Lorenzo will forever be part of that.
- Carrie Sharp
