Off-Duty Mt. Juliet Officer, Fresh Out of the Academy, Intervenes to Help Person in Mental Crisis on Natchez Trace Bridge in Williamson County

March 27, 2020

Williamson County – An off-duty Mt. Juliet police officer, who graduated from the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy this week, intervened to help a person in a mental crisis on the Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge while he was riding motorcycles with his father. Around 1:30 p.m. this afternoon, Officer Jordan Brown noticed an adult female, standing in the middle of the bridge over Highway 96, gripping the guardrail and looking out over the edge.

Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge

Brown immediately stopped his motorcycle and engaged in conversation with the female, where he spoke with her for some time. He discovered she was undergoing a mental crisis and was contemplating suicide. Brown continued to talk with her and persuaded her to walk away from the edge. Brown then wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and together, they walked off the bridge to safety. Brown’s father, who was riding with him, did not realize Officer Brown stopped his motorcycle to assist the female, and he later witnessed him walking her to safety.

Picture of Two Motorcycles

The female’s presence on the bridge was reported to the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, who dispatched a deputy to the scene. Brown spotted the deputy and flagged him down, where the deputy ensured the female received further care for her well-being.

“Jordan graduated the police academy this week, and he is already a shining example of the work police officers do to save lives,” stated Chief James Hambrick. “I’m grateful that he was placed in that moment so he could intervene to help a fellow human being in distress.”

Photo of Officer Jordan Brown & Chief James Hambrick
Officer Jordan Brown & Chief James Hambrick

Suicide affects everyone, and many in our community have likely been impacted in some way by suicide. Everyone has their demons and have felt backed into the corner at some point.

If anyone is feeling tired or backed into the corner and needs some help, they are encouraged to reach out. The department’s dispatchers, police officers, and medical responders are amazing, compassionate professionals who care about everyone and life.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline- 1 (800) 273-8255

It gets better. Choose life.

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Booking Photos of 2 Arrestees in Stolen Car

Guardian Shield Alerts on Stolen Car from Lebanon; Officers Arrest Two

March 26, 2020

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Officers intercepted a wanted person, driving a stolen car, after the department’s Guardian Shield ALPR alerted on a plate associated with the stolen car. Around 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 26, 2020, officers began to look for a black, 2019 Ford Escape after Guardian Shield alerted on the tag as it crossed through the N. Mt. Juliet Road and Lebanon Road intersection. The vehicle was intercepted by officers on Mt. Juliet Road near Old Lebanon Dirt Road, and after it stopped in the Valley Center parking lot, suspects ran from the SUV. They were quickly apprehended, and two suspects were charged.

Further investigation revealed the car was reported stolen out of Lebanon on February 28, 2020. 34-year-old Michael Cousino of Watertown was arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail, charged with Theft of Property, Evading Arrest, and Driving Without a License. 36-year-old Julia Ash of Lebanon was also arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail, charged with Theft of Property and Evading Arrest.

Booking Photo of 34-year-old Michael Cousino of Watertown

34-year-old Michael Cousino of Watertown

Booking Photo of 36-year-old Julia Ash of Lebanon

36-year-old Julia Ash of Lebanon

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Photo of 2 Special Response Team Members

Barricaded Person Incident on Ridgecrest Drive Ends Peacefully, Adult Male Arrested for Aggravated Assault

March 19, 2020

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – The barricaded person incident on Ridgecrest Drive, ended peacefully. Around 10:40 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, officers were summoned to a home on Ridgecrest Dr to investigate an aggravated domestic assault, where the victim was punched and struck with a chair. When officers encountered the suspect, 33-year-old Brendan Negron, he advised officers he was not coming out of the house.

Photo of 2 Special Response Team Members Two Officers Look Over a Computer

Mt. Juliet’s Crisis Negotiators, Special Response Team members, and a Critical Incident Management Team responded to the scene to resolve the incident and take Negron into custody on an aggravated assault warrant. Crisis Negotiators continued communications with Negron for an extended time to get him to surrender. During the event, the Special Response Team entered the home, and Negron surrendered to them around 2:45 a.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2020.

He was booked into the Wilson County Jail, charged with Aggravated Assault.

A booking photo was not available at the time of this release.

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Police Currently Handling Barricaded Person Incident on Ridgecrest Drive

March 19, 2020

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Mt. Juliet Police is currently on-scene of a barricaded person situation on Ridgecrest Drive, between E. Hill St and E. Caldwell St.

Around 10:40 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, officers were summoned to a home on Ridgecrest Dr to investigate an aggravated domestic assault, where the victim was able to leave the home. The suspect advised officers he was not coming out of the home.

Adjacent neighbors are aware of the situation as a safety precaution.
Ridgecrest Drive is currently closed while the situation is on-going. Special Response Team and Crisis Negotiators are on the scene and working to peacefully resolve the situation.

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Booking Photo w/ Stolen Car

Guardian Shield Alerts on Stolen Car; Officers Find Meth & Wanted Person out of Knoxville Area

March 18, 2020

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Officers intercepted a wanted person, driving a stolen car, after the department’s Guardian Shield ALPR alerted on a plate associated with the stolen car. Around 3:50 p.m. on Tuesday, March 18, 2020, officers began to look for a silver 1997 Mazda 626 after Guardian Shield alerted on the tag as it crossed through the N. Mt. Juliet Road and Interstate 40 interchange. The vehicle was intercepted by officers in the Arby’s parking lot, and the driver, 25-year-old Andrea Ledbetter of Maryville, was found to be wanted by the Blount County Sherriff’s Office for multiple felony, drug-related warrants. Ledbetter was also in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Photo of Stolen Car

Booking photo of 25-year-old Andrea Ledbetter of Maryville

Andrea Ledbetter, 25, of Maryville

Further investigation revealed the car was reported stolen out of Athens, about 154 miles away from Mt. Juliet, on March 15, 2020. Ledbetter was arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail, charged with Theft of Property, Simple Possession of Methamphetamine, and Drug Paraphernalia.

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Police Patch on Shirt

Mt. Juliet Police Implement COVID-19 Precautions to Protect Community & Staff

March 16, 2020

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – The safety and well-being of those who live, work, and visit the Mt. Juliet community is the utmost concern of the police department. To continue to provide essential police services to the community, the department has taken the following steps to protect those we serve and our staff:

  • All Mt. Juliet Police sponsored public events, municipal adult court, municipal juvenile court, and traffic school are postponed until at least April 10, 2020. A member of the police department will contact those who have been scheduled for the postponed events and court dates.
  • The citizen ride-along program has been suspended until further notice.
  • Community members who need to report past-occurred crimes, or other crimes which they were inclined to visit police headquarters in-person to report, should call the police department at 615-754-2550 to determine if an officer can assist over the phone, instead of in person.
  • If a community member is experiencing an emergency, they should dial 911 and an officer will respond to assist. However, for some non-emergency situations, an officer may be able to help via the phone, or community members can file an online report for specific incidents such as lost property, destruction of property, civil disputes, financial crimes, theft, alcohol violations, or harassing calls/emails. Officers will continue to respond to in-progress incidents, any incident that requires evidence processing, and incidents requiring immediate police intervention.
  • Community members can use the Mt. Juliet Police Department’s website at www.mjpd.org to access the Online Reporting System and follow the detailed instructions to see if their incident is reportable online. If anyone has any questions about filing an online report, or if online reporting is not appropriate for their situation, they should contact the police department at 615-754-2550 for assistance.
  • The department’s records and court clerk office will be closed to the public until further notice. If anyone needs a copy of a report, please call 615-754-2550 or visit the department’s website at www.mjpd.org. Staff members will make arrangements to mail or email the report.
  • All citation payment due dates have been placed on hold until further notice. Those who have due dates during the hold period should not worry. All in-person citation processing has ceased, and those affected will have an opportunity to satisfy their citation at a later date. Those who wish to pay online can continue to do so.
  • If anyone calls 911 for an emergency, or the non-emergency dispatch number, 615-754-2550, they should understand that the communication dispatchers have been instructed to ask additional questions regarding possible Coronavirus exposure factors for certain instances. 
  • Also, officers have been instructed to take the following precautions when interacting with community members on calls for service, for both the protection of the person(s) they are assisting, as well as for the officer’s themselves:Wear protective equipment such as latex gloves and protective masks if an officer suspects an individual is exhibiting signs of illness or has been in contact with a suspected Coronavirus patient.Ask additional questions regarding the health of an individual, including possible recent travels or other personal contacts.
    • Limit unnecessary physical contact with non-arrestees, such as avoiding handshakes, and respect a larger social distancing space of ideally six feet.

“It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that we do our part in reducing the spread of diseases and illnesses. Since we know the COVID-19 (coronavirus) is thought to be spread mainly from person to person, the department continues to stay consistent with many entities, both locally and nationally, as new information and guidelines flow in, stated Chief James Hambrick. “Even though there have been many impacts by the recent tornado and, now, precautions for the coronavirus, the Mt. Juliet Police Department family continues to work hard to keep our community safe. I’m grateful of everyone for the amazing work each continue to do!”

These measures are only taken out of an abundance of caution for the community we serve. For our staff members to adequately provide the level of service to the community it expects, we need to take into account both the health of the community and our staff members.

These are important reminders on how you can protect your health:

  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home if you feel ill. 
  • Call your healthcare professional if you feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing and have been in close contact with a person known to have confirmed coronavirus.
  • Stay informed and up to date with information directly from the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html), the Tennessee Department of Health (https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html), and Wilson County Emergency Management Agency’s (https://www.wilsonema.com/covid19/) websites.

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Police SUV Moving w/ Lights

Mt. Juliet Police Postpone Department Sponsored Events, Municipal Court, & Traffic School

March 13, 2020

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Although the Tennessee Department of Health is the lead agency responsible for public health, it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure that we do our part in reducing the spread of diseases and illnesses. Since we know the COVID-19 (coronavirus) is thought to be spread mainly from person to person, the department has decided to stay consistent with many entities, both locally and nationally, by postponing all Mt. Juliet Police sponsored public events, municipal adult court, municipal juvenile court, and traffic school until at least April 10, 2020. Those who have been scheduled for the affected events and court dates will be contacted by a member of the police department.

The department will focus its resources on the safety and security of the Mt. Juliet community and police staff members. These are important reminders on how you can protect your health:

  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and warm water for 20 seconds or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
  • Stay home if you feel ill.
  • Call your healthcare professional if you feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing and have been in close contact with a person known to have confirmed coronavirus.
  • Stay informed and up to date with information directly from the CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html) and the Tennessee Department of Health (https://www.tn.gov/health/cedep/ncov.html) websites.

“By remaining calm and working together, our community will overcome any challenge presented by the COVID-19 national health emergency,” stated Chief James Hambrick. “The safety of the Mt. Juliet community is my highest priority, and I must ensure our staff members remain healthy to keep our community safe.”

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Mt. Juliet Volunteer Opportunity Available Today at 12:30 p.m.

March 7, 2020

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – More volunteer opportunities have opened up for this afternoon, and the city is able to support additional volunteers. Those interested in volunteering should arrive at Walmart, at 300 Pleasant Grove Road, to register around 12:30 p.m. today (3/7/2020).

Anyone 16-years-old and above can participate, but juveniles must be accompanied with a parent or guardian.

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Important Mt. Juliet Volunteer Notice

March 5, 2020

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Only current, pre-approved volunteers or organizations will be permitted to participate in any city volunteer activity. No one should arrive and expect to be allowed to volunteer. We are overwhelmed as a community and are no longer accepting volunteers.

If a volunteer or organization is “pre-approved”, they have already received communication and confirmation from city officials or volunteer committee members in regards to the volunteer effort.

Those who are not already pre-approved volunteers will not be able to participate in any volunteer activity throughout Mt. Juliet city limits during the duration of this tornado response.

There are many areas across Middle Tennessee that were impacted by this storm and are still in need of help. Those wishing to volunteer are encouraged to reach out to other impacted communities.

We truly appreciate the outpouring of support, but we are overwhelmed.

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Mt. Juliet Sets Curfew for Areas Severely Damaged by Tornado

March 3, 2020

Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Mt. Juliet officials instated a curfew for areas that suffered extensive tornado damage in today’s storm. The purpose of the curfew is to aid police in protecting those homes and property from potential thieves.

Individuals who are not property owners, or guests of property owners, are prohibited from remaining or traveling on public or private property in the designated curfew areas between 6:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.

The curfew will be applied to the following areas:

  • Triple Crown Neighborhood
  • Catalpa Drive
  • Fescue Drive
  • Dogwood Drive
  • Clearview Drive
  • Barrett Drive
  • Volunteer Boulevard
  • Athletes Way
  • Athletes Way North

Residents are also discouraged from working on damaged structures or cleaning-up debris while the curfew is active due to the danger of working in complete darkness.

The curfew begins at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.

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