Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Chief Erron Kinney resigned from the Fire Department of Mt. Juliet this morning in a letter submitted to City Manager Kenneth Martin. Kinney was Mt. Juliet’s first fire Chief, appointed in March 2013, who oversaw the formation of Mt. Juliet’s new fire department. His final day with the City will be January 2, 2014.
Kinney’s Letter of Resignation Copy
Erron Kinney
“We are truly grateful for the tremendous job Chief Kinney has done in building Mt. Juliet’s first fire department,” said City Manager Kenneth Martin. “I have always appreciated his knowledge and professionalism he brought to our community, and his commitment to improving the safety of Mt. Juliet’s citizens has prepared us for further achievements in the coming years. I wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”
Jamie Luffman
Current Assistant Chief Jamie Luffman will serve as Interim Fire Chief until a replacement Chief is selected.
The city and citizens of Mt. Juliet greatly appreciate Mr. Kinney ‘ s contributions to the city.
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Mt. Juliet Police will be conducting an enforcement campaign on New Year’s celebrations, focusing on unsafe driving behavior through saturation patrols. Additional officers will take to the streets and cruise areas prone to alcohol-related crashes at 10:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve and continue into the early morning hours of New Year’s Day.
“Driving while impaired is a terrible decision for anyone to make,” said Chief James Hambrick. “The Mt. Juliet Police Department has the duty to ensure our community remains safe, and those who decide to take part in dangerous behavior, like driving while impaired, should know that plenty of officers are going to be out and ready to find them.”
So far in 2014, Mt. Juliet Police has investigated 17 alcohol-related crashes where 12 people were injured. Thankfully, no fatalities have been investigated by Mt. Juliet Police where alcohol was a factor.
Residents should also be aware that the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office is offering free, safe rides on New Year’s Eve. The program will be available until 3:00 a.m. New Year’s Day. To obtain a safe ride, you can call (615) 444-1412.
New Year’s Even Safety Tips:
If you are hosting a New Year’s Eve party, following a few simple rules could prevent a tragedy:
Plan ahead by naming a “designated driver.” Make this your responsibility as the host.
Contact a local cab company to provide rides for your guests.
Serve non-alcoholic beverages as an option to your guests.
Stop serving alcohol to your guests several hours before the party ends.
Provide your guests with a place to stay overnight in your home.
If you are attending New Year’s Eve parties and celebrations:
If you drink, don’t drive.
Plan ahead and always designate a sober driver before the party or celebration begins.
If you are impaired, call a taxi, get a sober friend or family member to come pick you up, or stay where you are until you are sober.
Take the keys from someone if you think he/she is too impaired to drive.
While it’s fun to share where you are on social media sites, beware of doing so, as you are publicly alerting others that you are not at home.
Do not leave drinks unattended. Finish it before you hit the restroom or dance floor.
If you’re attending a large party where there are crowds, travel with a group or in pairs.
Make sure everyone has a “buddy” who can confirm they got home safely at the end of the night.
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – A man wanted for 12 warrants was apprehended after a traffic stop in a Mt. Juliet neighborhood. While patrolling through the Willoughby Station neighborhood, a police officer spotted a car driving on the wrong side of the road directly towards him on December 27, 2014 around 12:35 p.m. As the officer turned around to stop the driver, the Ford Contour turned around in a home’s yard- almost striking a stop sign post.
The driver stopped his car after the officer signaled for him to do so, and he was identified as Jamison Emler, 18, of Old Hickory. Emler’s information was entered by the officer into his in-car computer. A warrants check, through the FBI’s National Crime Information Center, revealed that Emler was wanted out of Sumner County.
Emler was wanted for 12 different warrants related burglary and theft, and the officer was able to take him into custody without incident. Emler told the officer that he was in the neighborhood to pick up a friend.
Emler was arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail, where he was held on the Sumner County charges.
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – A 3-car crash, resulting in injuries, struck the charred remains of an early morning tractor-trailer fire along Interstate 40. Following a fully-engulfed fire, the charred cab and trailer remained on the right shoulder of Interstate 40 westbound until rush hour traffic ended. All four westbound lanes of the Interstate were temporally opened for rush hour to allow traffic to clear prior to removing the tractor-trailer debris.
Around 7:50 a.m. on Tuesday, December 23, 2014, a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu, 2008 Nissan Altima, and a 2007 Chevrolet Pickup were all traveling westbound on Interstate 40 around the 227 mile-marker. The driver of the Malibu, a 50-year-old male from Kingsport, merged over to another lane after noticing the tow company attending the previous tractor-trailer incident. A 52-year-old male from Jonesborough was a passenger in the Malibu. During the merge, the driver of the Altima, a 26-year-old female from Gallatin, swerved and lost control. The Altima then struck the Malibu, causing the Malibu to strike the tractor-trailer debris and turn onto its side against the charred debris. The Altima hit the tractor-trailer debris as well, but it bounced across to the other side of the lanes to the inside concrete barrier. A pickup truck, driven by a 32-year-old male from Lebanon, then struck the Altima. Both cars came to a rest against the inside concrete barrier.
Both occupants of the Chevrolet Malibu were injured and transported by ambulance to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The contributing factors in the crash were the wet roads, and the driver of the Malibu was not aware of his surroundings. When roads are wet, it is extra important for drivers to slow down and pay attention.
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Twenty-four achievements were recognized at Mt. Juliet Police Department’s annual Department Awards Ceremony on Saturday, December 20, 2014. The Award Ceremony was held at Mt. Juliet’s Rutland Place banquet room and was hosted by the department’s command staff.
“Today we recognize the outstanding efforts of the men and women of the Mt. Juliet Police Department,” said Chief James Hambrick. “The determination of our sworn and civilian employees, in keeping Mt. Juliet’s citizens and visitors safe, is commendable. They are committed and work hard every day to ensure Mt. Juliet is one of the safest communities.”
Officer Jonathan Wilhelm, who just returned from military deployment overseas, was honored at the beginning of the ceremony. He recognized employees Sandy Dempsey and Kristin Short, who were extremely supportive and organized his care packages throughout the year.
Top achievements were awarded to:
Sgt. Jerry Mundy – Overall Employee of the Year: Corporal James Christensen
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – While a Mt. Juliet Police Officer was on patrol today, he noticed a known vehicle used in recent shoplifting thefts from Walmart travelling down Interstate 40. The gold Honda Accord was stopped this afternoon around 12:45 p.m., and the driver was identified as Michael Baucom, 42, of Nashville. Baucom is a known thief from the Metro-Nashville area.
On November 6, 2014, Baucom attempted to steal over $1,400 in merchandise from Walmart. A manager spotted him pushing the merchandise under a fence, and the manager was able to prevent the theft. Baucom fled, but a warrant was obtained for his arrest that he was arrested on today.
During today’s traffic stop, Baucom attempted to deceive the officer by providing a false name. However, the officer already knew who Baucom was. A check for warrants revealed that Baucom was wanted out of Wilson County for the Mt. Juliet Walmart theft and violation of conditional release, Robertson County for one failure to appear on trespassing warrant, and Metro-Davidson County for eight different warrants related to trespassing and theft.
Baucom was arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail on the many different warrants.
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Additional Mt. Juliet Police Officers will hit the streets on the evening of Friday, December 19, 2014 in an effort to curb impaired driving and impaired-related crashes. Sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols will be conducted in the Lebanon Road, Mt. Juliet Road, West Division St, and Belinda Parkway areas that evening.
“We recognize the danger presented to the public by those who make the terrible decision to drive while impaired,” said Police Chief James Hambrick. “Therefore, officers will concentrate their efforts on motorists who operate a vehicle while impaired.”
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Investigators are on the hunt for information about sophisticated jewelry thieves, who sawed through the roof of Prestige Pawn & Jewelry and stole over $200,000 in jewelry. Sunday afternoon on December 14, 2014, officers were summoned to Prestige Pawn & Jewelry after the business owner noticed much of his jewelry inventory was missing from the display cabinets.
Investigators responded to the scene to document the crime scene, and it was determined that the thieves entered the business at 3:00 a.m. early Sunday morning. To enter and exit the business, the thieves disabled the alarm system and used a saw to cut a hole in the roof.
Two unidentified suspects, with faces covered by masks, entered the business and targeted various types of jewelry. The business suffered over $200,000 in stolen jewelry and $5,000 in damages to the building.
Investigators hope someone in the community will recognize the suspects and their clothing from the surveillance images. When looking at the surveillance images, it is important to notice the distinct features of the clothing and shoes.
Surveillance Images:
Suspect One
Suspect One
Suspect One
Suspect Two
Suspect Two
If anyone has a feeling that they possibly recognize the suspects responsible for this crime, they are encouraged to call the Mt. Juliet Police Department at (615) 754-2550. Information can also be given anonymously by calling (615) 754-TIPS (8477) or via the Mt. Juliet Police Department website at http://www.mjpd.org/ .
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Coffee & Donuts With a Cop is Friday, December 19, 2014 morning at Gourmet Donuts (3993 N Mt Juliet Rd), and the public is invited and encouraged to attend. Department leadership and officers will be on-scene with donut in-hand and ready to enjoy simple conversation anytime between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Coffee & Donuts with a Cop is an opportunity for the public to meet with officers in a relaxed environment and talk about anything — from crime issues to neighborhood programs, public safety management to how to join the force. The public brings the questions, chat with an officer, and they get a free cup of coffee and donuts.
“The simplicity is appealing: We show up, community members show up, and then we talk over coffee. It is a great way to build relationships with people in the community and hear about the concerns residents may have,” said Chief James Hambrick.
The Coffee With A Cop program is a non-traditional way to generate conversation between the police department and community it serves. This event allows the public to interact with police officers, including the Chief of Police, in an informal setting to ask questions or address concerns with local law enforcement. Everyone is encouraged to stop by the Coffee With A Cop event to say hello and enjoy free coffee and donuts provided by Gourmet Donuts.
Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Shopping online is a popular alternative, compared to dealing with crowds and trying to find a parking spot at a local store. However, it comes with its own problems. An unattended package shipped to your front doorstep is an easy target for a thief to take advantage of. To accomplish the theft, all the thief has to do is take it when no one is watching.
Residents can follow a few simple tips to avoid becoming a theft victim:
Require the packages to be signed for.
Most deliveries occur during the day when people are away at work. Have the package delivered to your work, if allowed.
If you know a friend or neighbor, who stays at home during the day, have the package shipped to them.
Most carriers provide a tracking number for the package. Track the package so you know exactly when it will be delivered to your home.
