Mt. Juliet Police Newsroom

Mt. Juliet Middle School is implementing a new arrival and dismissal plan on Monday, August 23, communicated to Wilson County Schools parents. The new traffic plan allows more car rider traffic to queue onto school property, which should relieve the backup queue from blocking traffic on N. Mt. Juliet Road, Woodridge Place, and Charlie Daniels Parkway.

Since the beginning of the new school year, the department has been communicating with school administration and monitoring the impacts of Mt. Juliet Middle School’s arrival and dismissal traffic. As a result, a meeting took place last Thursday with school, police, and city representatives to discuss an alternative traffic plan, and all worked together to develop the new plan in hopes it provides traffic relief.

“I’m grateful for our partnership with Wilson County Schools, and we always work together for the safety of our community- especially our students,” stated Chief James Hambrick. “We are hopeful that the new plan will alleviate the gridlock during school traffic, and our officers will be assisting during the implementation of the new plan on Monday.”

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Public safety officials are excited to announce the launch of MJAlert, which brings back community notifications & emergency alerts via text message back to the community. MJAlert is a free service to community members, powered by Rave / Smart911, that allows individuals to sign up for notifications sent from City authorities. MJAlert keeps residents and visitors informed on potentially hazardous situations & community information involving the police department, fire department, parks department, city government, or traffic impacts within the community. In addition, MJAlert will notify for construction blasting notifications for those who register for such messages.

“MJAlert brings us back to an alerting platform that our community loved, which was text message-based notifications,” said Police Chief James Hambrick. “Our engagement on the current app-based alerting platform has been weak, and we want to ensure our community has multiple ways to receive alerts- especially with a simple text message.”

Sign Up on the Web:

Community members can sign up for free at https://www.smart911.com/smart911/ref/reg.action?pa=mtjuliet to receive timely and actionable alerts via email, text, or voice message. They can also identify when and how they are alerted and communicated before, during, and after emergencies.

Sign Up by Text Message:

For a faster sign-up option, community members can simply text “MJ” to the phone number “67283” for MJAlert notifications. For construction blasting notifications, community members can text “Blast” to the phone number “67283”.

Use the Smart911 App:

Community members can also download the Smart911 app to sign up for MJAlert to receive essential information needed in an emergency. The Smart911 app provides enhanced functionality by sending targeted alerts based on the user’s location. Smart911 app users will receive the highest priority National Weather Service alerts, including tornado warnings, flash flood warnings, and severe thunderstorm warnings based on their real-time location. Download the Smart911 App on the Apple Store or Google Play or text “Smart911” to phone number “67283”.

 

Frequently asked questions can be answered here: https://www.mtjuliet-tn.gov/1580/MJAlert-Community-Notifications

The AtlasOne app-based alerting platform will be quickly phased out, and all community members are encouraged to sign-up for MJAlert to continue to receive alerts.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – This morning, around 7:38 a.m., officers responded to a Person with a Weapon call at Kroger, at 401 S. Mt. Juliet Road, where a man was reportedly chasing others with a knife. A lone officer was first on-scene and encountered the man, who rapidly advanced towards the officer while pulling a knife from his waistband. After repeated requests by the officer for the man to stop, the man continued to advance towards the officer with the knife in his hand. This resulted in an officer-involved shooting, and the adult male suspect was transported to the hospital. No one else was injured.

Per protocol, the TBI responded to investigate the incident, and the scene was processed just outside the front doors of Kroger. This is an active and ongoing investigation as TBI Special Agents work to gather any and all relevant interviews and evidence.

“We are grateful for our officer’s rapid response to a dangerous event in a busy shopping area and are thankful that no one was injured by the suspect, stated Police Chief James Hambrick. “To ensure our officer responded properly, the TBI is conducting an independent investigation. Incidents like this are traumatic for all involved, and the officer has been placed on routine administrative leave. All are in my prayers, including the suspect, for a quick recovery.”

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Wilson County School students will head back to school on Thursday, and the department will begin focusing on school zone safety. A Traffic Safety Blitz, focusing on school zone speed limits & hand-held phone use, will take place on the first day back. Officers will also provide extra attention in school zones and bus stop locations to ensure everyone is operating their vehicle safely throughout the school year.  

“Students will be back at Stoner Creek Elementary, utilizing temporary classrooms, so all motorists should be mindful of the reintroduced school zone,” stated Chief James Hambrick. “The first couple of days of the school year can be a bit confusing for everyone as we all adjust to the traffic patterns. Members of the Command Staff will be monitoring the different dynamics, and we are prepared to adjust resources. I ask that our community members be patient and courteous so we can ensure our school zones are safe.”

In addition to the department’s strong relationship with school leadership, the department maintains an open line of communication with crossing guards so they can easily report unsafe drivers or any other safety issues within the city limits.

With unmarked traffic officers being deployed to school zones, digital radar speed signs will be placed to raise awareness. Mt. Juliet Police have four digital speed signs that display the speed of cars and visually warn drivers if they drive above the speed limit.

To ensure our school zones are safe this school year, Mt. Juliet Police offer the following suggestions:

• Parents are encouraged to visit their child’s school website to become familiar with the traffic plans for drop-off and pick-up at each school. Wilson County School’s website is http://www.wcschools.com/.
• Give yourself plenty of time in the morning! As traffic volumes and congestion on the roadways increase, so does the length of time it takes to travel to your destination. Giving yourself more time by leaving earlier reduces stress, increases your awareness, and improves your driving.
• Obey the posted speed limit signs and directional signs, including marked curbs. Signs and curb markings assist in the traffic flow into and out of the schools and assist in the safety of the students who walk and bike to school. One misplaced car can disrupt the traffic flow and the safety of our students.
• Be patient! Impatience leads to aggressive driving, rude or unwarranted behavior, pedestrian and bicycle collisions, and it creates traffic gridlock. Remember, everyone has the same goal: to get our children safely to and from school. Also, remember, the habits you exhibit in your driving and demeanor are typically passed on to your children when they start driving.
• If you drive your children to school, have them ready to leave the car with all of their belongings when you come to a stop at the school. Backups and delays are caused when children have to get their backpacks and other items from the trunk or back seat of a car. Explore other alternatives such as carpool, ride-sharing, walking, or biking to school.
• Watch and obey the school crossing guards. Crossing guards are provided to assist with school traffic and the safe crossing of your students across the surrounding streets near each elementary school. Be on the lookout, be prepared to stop, and be ready to follow their directions so our children can safely get to and from school.

Stopping for a School Bus Law:

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Reserve police officers are an essential part of the Mt. Juliet Police Department team, and the department is looking for dedicated people who want to be involved in law enforcement and public safety. Are you looking for a meaningful and challenging opportunity that helps keep Mt. Juliet safe? If so, consider applying for the Mt. Juliet Police Department’s reserve police officer program.

The Mt. Juliet Police Reserve program is comprised of many community members who dedicate their time to fulfill many of the roles handled by full-time Mt. Juliet police officers. Reserve officers give a vital role in supplementing the sworn staff in essential public safety operations, which they all volunteer their time at no cost to the department. Every volunteer police officer performs various duties such as assisting in patrol operations, deploying during disasters, protecting the integrity of crime scenes, assisting with crowd & traffic control during special events, and providing security during municipal court and other city events.

Mt. Juliet Police reserve officers come from different backgrounds that enhance the Mt. Juliet Police Department with their unique skills and abilities. Currently, there are IT specialists, accountants, large company executives, and reserve and retired military officers in the rich mix of the reserve force. A blend of retirees and employed, the reserve officers are people who like to learn, have the time to commit, and are dedicated to serving their community. Once reserve officer candidates pass rigorous background checks, interviews, and a physical fitness obstacle course, they must undergo training conducted by police instructors.

To learn more about the program and how to apply, the Reserve Program is hosting an information session on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. at Mt. Juliet Police Headquarters, at 1019 Charlie Daniels Parkway. Those interested in the program and feel they meet the qualifications are encouraged to attend to get an application.

Potential reserve officer applicants must meet similar qualifications as full-time police officers, which include:

• Must be at least 21 Years of age
• Must be a high school graduate or equivalent
• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must not have been convicted of a felony or serious misdemeanor involving moral turpitude as the term is defined by law, and not having been released or discharged other than honorable conditions from any of the U.S. Armed Forces
• Must have their fingerprints on file with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
• Must pass a medical examination by a licensed physician
• Must pass a drug screen by a licensed physician
• Must have a good moral character as determined by a background investigation
• Must be free of all apparent mental disorders as described in the latest Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association, and must be certified as meeting the criteria by a qualified professional in psychiatric and psychological fields
• Must have a valid Tennessee drivers license

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Update: Detectives developed information that 43-year-old Randall Wayne Brewer has fled to the Dallas, Texas area. He remains wanted and is a fugitive with contiguous United States full extradition.

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Detectives successfully identified the suspect responsible for assaulting and holding two women against their will. This morning, the incident began around 6:35 a.m. after a distraught female called 911, stating she was being held against her will while traveling in a vehicle on I-40 west through Mt. Juliet. While on the call, the female was in distress and struggling with someone. She further stated she was being held against her will by an ex-boyfriend, and her life was being threatened. They were headed on I-40 west into Nashville. While screaming for her life, her phone was taken and thrown out of the car’s window.

Through investigation, it was determined that two adult females met 43-year-old Randall Wayne Brewer at Amazon, located on Golden Bear Gateway, to pick him up. Instead, Brewer got into the driver’s seat and began driving recklessly down I-40. While in the vehicle, Brewer assaulted both victims, threatened their life, refused to let them out of the car, and threw a cell phone outside of the vehicle while one called 911 for help. Once in Nashville, both victims were able to jump out of the car to escape.

Brewer is now on the run and wanted for two counts of Aggravated Kidnapping, two counts of Aggravated Assault, Interference with an Emergency Phone Call, and Vandalism. He is known to drive a gold/silver GMC Envoy SUV and was spotted in La Vergne this afternoon, fleeing before the officers’ arrest attempt. Brewer frequents Metro-Nashville, Rutherford, Wilson, Montgomery, and Putnam counties.

If anyone has any information about the whereabouts of Brewer or anything related to this investigation, they are urged 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/.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – The incident at Quality Inn & Suites ended as a false call, and detectives discovered the individual was experiencing a mental health crisis. Around 9:00 p.m. on Monday, July 19. 2021, officers responded to a report of a man attempting to jump from a second-floor room window and armed with a firearm. Officers arrived to find the man, who did jump out of the window. He claimed that people armed with a firearm were attempting to harm him and his girlfriend. Officers did not initially locate the girlfriend, and the hotel room door was barricaded. The man stated he did not barricade the door.

As a precaution and concern for the girlfriend’s safety, the special response team and crisis negotiators responded to the scene in an attempt to make contact with whoever may be in the hotel room. In addition, the second floor was evacuated to a nearby staging area, and the remaining floor occupants were asked to shelter in place.

After clearing the hotel room with an aerial drone, the room was further cleared by the special response team. No one was located. Officers then checked on all of the hotel’s occupants to ensure no one was harmed.

The missing girlfriend met detectives at police headquarters after the incident concluded. She confirmed that she fled to a nearby restaurant when she became concerned with her boyfriend’s statements. She was aware of the police response, but she did not want to contact officers until her family arrived. Detectives further confirmed that the adult male was experiencing a mental health crisis, and he will not be charged.

No one was harmed during this incident, and the department is grateful for everyone’s patience as our officers worked to ensure all was safe. In addition, hotel management was very accommodating during the event and assisted to ensure everyone’s safety.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – The barricaded person incident on Parkwood Drive ended peacefully. Around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 18, 2021, officers responded to the area of N. Mt. Juliet Road near Pleasant Grove Road for a reported two-car crash. Officers arrived to discover that one of the involved drivers had fled the scene. Further investigation revealed that the fleeing driver purposely followed and rammed the other involved vehicle following a domestic-related altercation at a home on Parkwood Drive.

Officers identified a 56-year-old adult male as the suspect, and warrants were obtained for aggravated assault and leaving the scene of a crash. The suspect was located back at the home on Parkwood Drive around 2:00 a.m. this morning, and officers attempted to contact him multiple times throughout the night. The suspect failed to exit after officers’ repeated attempts, and crisis negotiators and special response team members were requested to the scene around 5:00 a.m.

After crisis negotiators began speaking with the suspect, he exited the home and was taken into custody without incident around 5:40 a.m. No injuries were reported.

As a precaution, residents adjacent to the suspect’s home were notified with the choice to leave their home or shelter-in-place. Many chose to remain home and shelter-in-place.

The suspect was arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail, charged with Aggravated Assault and Leaving the Scene of a Crash.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Early this morning, a burglar broke into two businesses and made away with $100 in cash. Around 2:45 a.m. 7/9/2021, the burglar broke into Nail World at 2014 Providence Parkway, then hit Subway at 637 S. Mt. Juliet Road. Nothing was stolen from Nail World; however, $100 in cash was stolen from Subway. Both businesses are in close proximity to each other.

Surveillance video caught the suspect in the act, and detectives hope someone may recognize the suspect.

If anyone has a feeling that they possibly know the suspect 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/ .

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