Mt. Juliet Police Newsroom

Mt. Juliet, Tenn – Three shoplifters, who continue to strike area retailers, are wanted by Mt. Juliet Police.  On Friday, December 6, the group targeted Best Buy in the Providence MarketPlace development and stole over $1000.00 in merchandise. Officers were able to gather their getaway vehicle description, and it was relayed to surrounding agencies. The following day a vigilant Franklin Police Officer stopped the getaway vehicle, and it led to the shoplifting trio’s identity. Courtney Brown, 30, of Madison, Charlotte Hartsell, 26, of Nashville, and Robert Hartsell, 31, of Woodbury, are all wanted by Mt. Juliet Police for Theft of Merchandise from Best Buy.

Courtney Brown, 30, of Madison

Charlotte Hartsell, 26, of Nashville

Robert Hartsell, 31, of Woodbury

“We take crime in our city very seriously, and we have an extremely low tolerance for criminals who chose to operate in our area,” said Police Chief James Hambrick. “When criminals flee our city, we do everything we can to ensure they are apprehended and placed behind bars.”

Surveillance video captures Courtney Brown and Charlotte Hartsell walking through the store and placing merchandise in shopping baskets. As they completed their selection, they both moved closer to the front doors for a quick exit. They are captured on video darting out the front doors. Brown nearly tramples over a child during his escape. Robert Hartsell remained out in front of the store, and he ensured the automatic doors were open so a quick escape could be made.

“Criminals can flee out of our city, but that does not mean we stop at our city boundaries,” stated Police Captain Michael Mullins. “We make every attempt to apprehend criminals who commit crimes in our community.”

Anyone with any information regarding this crime is 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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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Mt. Juliet Police Officers are giving up report writing and chasing criminals to help give a little extra cheer and comfort to less-fortunate children in our community. The Mt. Juliet Police Department is sponsoring less-fortunate children to take Christmas shopping this holiday season in its Christmas With a Cop program. This is the nineth year for the Christmas With a Cop program.

An increasing number of families in our community are in great need throughout the year, but with the Christmas season approaching, that need is more difficult to face. The Mt. Juliet Police Christmas With A Cop program focuses on assisting families in need for the holidays by inviting children and families in the community to shop with a Mt. Juliet Police Officer for gifts for themselves and loved ones. For one night, children and families are given undivided positive attention, making them feel special in a way many of them have not previously experienced. The program is funded through donations from local businesses and community members, as well as funds from the Mt. Juliet Police Department. This year, Walmart will host Christmas With A Cop on December 13, 2013, resulting in more than 25 children receiving much needed relief from the financial worry the Christmas season may bring. Following the shopping event, the children and their families are invited to dinner at Jonathan’s Grille in Mt. Juliet.

• Who: Mt. Juliet Police Officers & Children From Our Community
• What: Christmas With a Cop Christmas Giving Program
• When: Friday, December 13 – 5:30PM Shopping Begins / Dinner following shopping event
• Where: Shopping- Walmart (300 Pleasant Grove Road, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122)

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Contact: Sgt. Chandler, Community Policing Director/PIO

Phone: (615) 773-6260

E-Mail: tchandler@cityofmtjuliet.org

If you would like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview, please call Sgt. Chandler at (615) 773-6260 or email at tchandler@cityofmtjuliet.org

This morning around 6:45 a.m. Mt. Juliet Police began to respond to weather-related incidents in the city. Overall, the city fared well considering the icy roadway and hazardous travel conditions developed around 2:00 a.m. There were no major crashes or serious injuries reported as a result of the slick roadways. N. Mt. Juliet Road and Lebanon Road were fairly clear for travel this morning with a few icy patches on elevated portions. Secondary roadways were the most hazardous, and they were covered in snow and ice until about 8:30 a.m. when conditions started to improve with sunlight. As of 11:00 a.m. this morning, ice remains on secondary roadways in areas that are shaded from the sunlight. Social Media, once again, proved to be a great tool for keeping our community informed about the hazardous travel conditions. Mt. Juliet Police took to Twitter, Facebook, and Nixle to keep followers informed as roadway conditions declined and improved.

Beckwith Road Overpass at Interstate 40 around 5:45 a.m.

Weather Related Incidents:

At 7:02 a.m. officers responded to a single vehicle crash on Old Lebanon Dirt Road in the 2000 Block. An SUV slid on ice, left the roadway, and went down a 15 foot embankment. There was only one occupant, and they were not injured. Property damage was sustained to the SUV.

E. Division St Crash

E. Division St Ice around 7:55 a.m.

At 7:13 a.m. an officer responded to the area of Beckwith Road and Rutland Road after a caller reported multiple vehicles were stuck due to the ice. The officer arrived to find many vehicles having to turn around since they could not travel up the icy hill.

At 7:29 a.m. an officer responded to the area of Old Lebanon Dirt Road near the county line after a caller reported multiple vehicles were stuck due to the ice. The officer arrived to find many vehicles having to turn around since they could not travel up the icy hill.

At 7:51 a.m. an officer noticed a vehicle off the roadway on E. Division Street in the 2000 Block. A car slid on ice and left the roadway. There was no damage sustained to the vehicle, and there were no injuries to the single occupant.

At 8:45 a.m. an officer and Mt. Juliet Fire Ladder 111 responded to Dahlgren Drive in the Lake Providence community after a 911 caller reported an elderly female had fallen. Emergency responders arrived on the scene to discover that the female slipped on ice and fell in the roadway. She was treated for non-critical injuries.

At 10:00 a.m. an officer responded to a single vehicle crash on W. Division Street near the 3000 Block. A pickup truck slid on the ice, left the roadway, and struck a stone mailbox. There was only one occupant in the vehicle, and they had minor injuries. Property damage was sustained to the truck.

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VIDEO: Pharmacare (Click to Download)

Mt. Juliet, Tenn – Mt. Juliet Police officers were summoned to the Pharmacare pharmacy on Thursday, November 28 around 1:30 a.m. after an audible burglary alarm activated. Officers quickly arrived on the scene, at 1097 Weston Drive. A small amount of items were stolen since the suspects were scared away by an employee working on site.

Video surveillance shows the suspects inside the pharmacy. The suspects are described as two white men around 6’ tall with thin builds. They were both wearing dark clothing and attempted to conceal their face. Investigators hope someone in the community will recognize the suspects from surveillance video photos.

Suspect One

Suspect One

Suspect Two

Suspect Two

Anyone with any information regarding this crime is 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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Mt. Juliet, Tenn – Mt. Juliet Police officers were summoned to the Pharmacare pharmacy on Thursday, November 28 around 1:30 a.m. after an audible burglary alarm activated. Officers quickly arrived on the scene, at 1097 Weston Drive. A small amount of items were stolen since the suspects were scared away by an employee working on site.

Video surveillance shows the suspects inside the pharmacy. The suspects are described as two white men around 6’ tall with thin builds. They were both wearing dark clothing and attempted to conceal their face. Investigators hope someone in the community will recognize the suspects from surveillance video photos.

Suspect One

Suspect One

Suspect Two

Suspect Two

Anyone with any information regarding this crime is 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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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Mt. Juliet Police have apprehended a man who ran on foot from a police officer after a short vehicle pursuit.  A Mt. Juliet Police officer spotted a car driving recklessly on Belinda Parkway in a residential area today around 11:00 a.m.  As the officer attempted to pull the car over to make contact with the driver, the car continued in a reckless manner. The driver, later identified as Shawn Neal, 21, of Lebanon, refused to stop for the officer. There was a short vehicle pursuit before Neal crashed. Due to Neal’s speed and reckless behavior, he lost control of the car. The car hit a fire hydrant and flipped in the front yard of a home at the corner of Belinda Parkway and Alsdale Drive. After crashing, Neal exited the vehicle and ran.

Multiple officers responded to the area to search for Neal. Nearby Rutland Elementary School was placed on a soft lockdown to ensure the students remained safe during the search. Mt. Juliet Police received multiple tips from the public, which led to officers searching the outside of a house in the 1700 Block of Pratston Court. Neal was located under the rear deck the house around 1:00 p.m. Due to possible injuries sustained during the crash, he was transported by ambulance to a local hospital to be evaluated.

Shawn Neal, 21, of Lebanon, Tenn.

Neal was also in possession of illegal drugs, and he faces multiple criminal charges related to this incident. Neal was arrested and charged with:

• 2 counts of Evading
• 3 counts of Possession of a Schedule II, IV, and VI drug for resale
• 1 count of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
• 1 count of Reckless Endangerment
• 1 count of Driving on a Revoked Driver’s License

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Mt. Juliet’s annual Christmas Parade is set for Saturday, December 7^th, and will kick off at 5:30 p.m. Because of the large number of participants, there will be a few traffic restrictions in place prior to the evening event. The parade will begin at the First Baptist Church (Mt. Juliet Christian Academy) on N. Mt. Juliet Road and travel northbound to Charlie Daniels Parkway where it will end behind Mt. Juliet Middle School.

N. Mt. Juliet Road (SR 171) will be closed at 5:30 p.m. to ALL traffic. The closure will be from from the intersection of NW Rutland Road to the intersection of Sunset Drive for the parade route.

The parade float staging and participant drop-off will take place at the First Baptist Church of Mt. Juliet (735 N. Mt. Juliet Road) from 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. prior to the parade. N. Mt. Juliet Road (SR 171) & N.W. Rutland Road will have increased traffic near the church during this time period.

The parade ending location and participant pick-up will take place at Mt. Juliet Middle School (3565 N. Mt. Juliet Road) from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. N. Mt. Juliet Road (SR 171), Charlie Daniels Parkway, and Woodridge Drive will have increased traffic near the school during this time period.

The goal of the Mt. Juliet Police Department is to ensure the safety of motorists, spectators, pedestrians, and participants. If you are attending the parade, the police department suggests that you arrive prior to 5:30 p.m. street closures. This will allow plenty of time to find parking. If you are not attending the parade, you may want to avoid the Mt. Juliet Road corridor to minimize your frustration with the road closure and large volume of traffic.

Remember, following the parade there will be a large amount of vehicle and pedestrian traffic along Mt. Juliet Road in the downtown district. Take your time, and please be considerate. Normally, the traffic following the parade will clear out in approximately 30 minutes. It is estimated that the parade traffic will be clear around 8:00 p.m.

For more information on Mt. Juliet Christmas Parade, you can visit the city’s website at www.cityofmtjuliet.org . Follow Mt. Juliet Police on Twitter @MtJulietPolice for live and active information regarding the parade as it happens.

Overview of the parade staging and participant drop-off area at First Baptist Church

Overview of the parade ending and participant pick-up location at Mt. Juliet Middle School.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – As shoppers hit Mt. Juliet’s hottest retail areas this week, additional police officers will also be hitting the streets and parking lots to ensure their presence is known as part of Operation Safe Shopper. 

Operation Safe Shopper begins Thanksgiving afternoon, and more officers will be patrolling the retail areas in Mt. Juliet. The enhanced-visibility initiative was created in 2010 to help deter crime, increase response times, and alleviate traffic congestion during the busy holiday shopping season. With Operation Safe Shopper, Mt. Juliet Police increased its patrol zones from four to five. The additional zone includes the Interstate 40 retail developments. Members of the department will be patrolling in marked and undercover vehicles, on foot, and on bicycles to raise law enforcement visibility and promptly respond to calls for service in the shopping centers as well as surrounding areas. Operation Safe Shopper will run from November 28through December 31. Since the first initiative in 2010, Mt. Juliet Police have not experienced major theft nor violent crime in its retail areas while Operation Safe Shopper was underway.

 “Mt. Juliet remains one of the safest shopping destinations in Middle Tennessee,” stated Police Chief James Hambrick. “We want to ensure visitors have a safe, positive experience while visiting our city.”

Police offer the following holiday shopping safety tips:

Shopper Safety Tips:

• Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings at all times.
• Park in well-lighted spaces, lock car doors, and place packages out of sight in the trunk or under seats.
• Do not carry large amounts of cash; pay with a check or credit card if possible.
• Carry purses close to the body, not dangling by the straps.
• Put wallets in an inside coat or front pants pocket.
• Supervise children at all times. Teach children to go to a police officer or security guard if they get lost or separated.
• Take a holiday inventory. The holidays are a good time to take photos or videos of items in your home

Parking Lot Safety Tips:

• Always be aware of your surroundings.
• If shopping at night, park in well-lit areas.
• Never leave your vehicle unlocked.
• When walking to your vehicle, look prepared by having your keys in your hand, your purse and other packages close to you, and always be aware of what is around you.
• Never leave holiday packages or other valuable items visible inside your vehicle.
• If possible, shop with other and walk in groups. It is safer to have another person with you.
• If you see suspicious people or activity, go back into the store or to a populated area and contact the police immediately.

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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Following an investigation that led to their identity, Mt. Juliet Police have jailed all three suspects who broke into a Mt. Juliet Market on July 2, 2013. Regina Carpenter, 45, of Gallatin, Decole Slayden, 37, of Nashville, and Donnie Pylant, 23, of Memphis have been apprehended in connection to the early morning burglary of a pawn shop and market on Benders Ferry Road. Prior to committing the burglary, the thieves stole a large moving truck in Nashville to haul away their goods. Pylant was arrested yesterday evening by Shelby County Sheriff’s Department in Memphis, Tennessee after a deputy discovered he was wanted by Mt. Juliet Police on a traffic stop. He was transferred to the Wilson County Jail this morning. All of the suspects were charged with burglary, vandalism, and theft of property.

Regina Carpenter, 45, of Gallatin

Decole Slayden, 37, of Nashville

Donnie Pylant, 23, of Memphis

Related Media Release: http://mjpdnews.org/2013/07/02/burglars-break-into-pawn-shop-and-market-then-haul-away-goods-with-stolen-moving-truck/

Anyone with any information on this crime is 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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Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – The Fire Department of Mt. Juliet (FDMJ) announces that it will charter a new Fire Services Explorer post under the Boy Scouts of America’s Learning for Life program. The Fire Service Career Exploring program is open to young men and women ages 14 that have completed the 8^th grade, but are not yet 21-years-old with an interest in learning more about careers in the field of Fire and Emergency Services. FDMJ’s leadership has been instrumental in organizing the Explorer Post to provide an opportunity for Mt. Juliet’s youth to learn more about the fire service.

An open house and registration event for interested participants to learn about the post is scheduled on Monday, December 16 at 7:00 p.m. The open house will be held at Mt. Juliet Fire Station #1 located at 104 Belinda Parkway in Mt. Juliet. Upcoming activities include: Introduction to the Fire Service, Fire Ground Support Functions, and tours of other emergency service agencies like Vanderbilt Lifeflight. Annual membership dues are $20.00. Participants will also be required to purchase their uniforms.

“We felt that a Post would provide students and young adults with great experience to see firsthand what firefighting and the emergency services is all about,” stated Fire Chief Erron Kinney. “Participants will have a chance to have actual hands-on training with the equipment and tools that are used in the field every day.”

The program provides a hands-on experience that exposes participants to many career experiences, leadership opportunities, and community service activities. The primary goals of the program are to help young adults choose a career path with fire and emergency services and to challenge them to become responsible citizen of their community and country.

“It has been my goal to get this program started in Mt. Juliet. I entered the fire service in 1985 as an Explorer, and I owe so much to the program,” stated Captain Chris Allen, who is organizing the program. “This program helps young adults figure out what they do and don’t want to do as a career.”

Nationally, over 22,500 Explorers participate in over 1,700 Fire and Emergency Services Posts. The program highlights include: the National Fire and Emergency Services Exploring Conference, ride-alongs, career achievement and proficiency awards, training scenarios, and scholarship opportunities.

“Providing this experience not only allows Mt. Juliet youth to learn more about the fire service and explore it as a career option, but it also allows our department to potentially build capacity for future firefighters to service such a wonderful community,” said Fire Assistant Chief Jamie Luffman.

Contact: Captain Chris Allen (615) 686-7687

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