Image Credit: @MtJulietPolice / X
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Seemingly insignificant routine actions can sometimes beget unexpectedly large results, as evidenced by the Mount Juliet Police Department’s apprehension of a man wanted on numerous felony charges related to child offenses resulting from a basic traffic stop.
The police initially conducted the stop because the offender’s truck had an expired tag, but upon investigation discovered that the 38-year-old Nashville man was wanted on six felony charges for escaping probation and failure to report as a registered sex offender since 2022.
It was noted that the driver’s original charges were related to the attempted rape of a child in Sumner County.
A post detailing the arrest on the department’s official X account praised the, “Proactive policing and the commitment of our officers,” reaffirmed by Mount Juliet Police Deputy Chief Tyler Chandler who believes that because his officers concentrate on the little things, bigger issues that hurt the community at large can be prevented.
Chandler wrote, “This person has been floating around for over two years until he drove into [Mount Juliet] and one of our officers took the time to deal with the expired tag. I’m grateful to serve and support a dedicated team working tirelessly every day to keep Mt. Juliet safe. Their commitment to pushing back against the challenges we face, primarily the criminal influence coming out of Nashville, is unwavering.”
This case could be viewed in the context of the ongoing debate and protest, mostly stemming from racial justice advocates, surrounding the merit of pretextual traffic stops which give law enforcement discretionary leeway to conduct searches for bigger crimes, utilizing traffic stops as a catalyst.
Some critics of pretextual stops purport they are supportive of the debated broken windows theory which proposes that visible signs of crime and civil disorder create an environment that encourages further crime and disorder and suggests that policing methods that target minor crimes like vandalism, loitering, public drinking, etc. help to create an atmosphere of overall order and lawfulness.
Central to this argument, in April of 2023, the Memphis City Council unanimously passed the “Driving Equality Act”, an ordinance prohibiting police from making “pretextual” traffic stops for secondary violations.
Though the council claimed the ordinance was intended to, “put police where they’re needed,” critics insisted local agencies would be prohibited from fully enforcing the law.
The ordinance was then nullified by 2024 legislation which prohibits local governments from putting limits on law enforcement agencies that would prevent them from operating in their full legal capacities.
In his support for the bill, Gov. Lee expressed that accountability should be enforced for officers abusing their power, not through limits on law enforcement’s legal capacity.
In this instance, the positive outcome of law enforcement’s upholding a small aspect of the law is certain as a wanted criminal is now in custody, especially as Tennessee continues to experience what appears to be a state-wide surge in overall crime.
Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
