Rachel Wegner|Nashville Tennessean
The NashvilleOrganized for Action and Hope's criminal justice task force held a press conference on Thursday afternoon to address two police shootings in Nashville.
A March 12morning shootout left Nika Holbert, 31, dead and Metro Nashville Police Department Officer Josh Baker critically wounded. Thatafternoon, a 33-year-old woman was nonfatally shot by an officer after a standoff in which she wielded a pick ax.
"NOAH thinks it is unacceptable for Metro police to shoot two women, one fatally," the group said in a news release ahead of the conference. "These preventable shootings point to larger, systemic issues within the police force and their approach to providing public safety to the Nashville community."
NOAH advocates push for policy changes, mental health support
NOAH member Shaveh Jackson raised questions about the policy and procedures around the traffic stop that escalated into a shootout between Davis and Holbert.
"Was this a routine traffic stop, or was she a woman going to use the restroom at Dollar General? What is the policy and procedure for stopping a woman standing outside her car?" Jackson said."We are no strangers to police brutality, so when one of us is killed, we must take a deeper look."
In the case of the woman who was nonfatally shot Friday afternoon, Jackson said a cry for help resulted in a broken family and a life forever changed.
"What is the price on proper training for police officers on mental health crisis calls? A life?" Jackson said. "MNPD must stop killing our community members. We demand a change in policy and procedures."
The Rev. Jane Boram said she has met with MNPD Chief John Drake twice this year about implementing theHealth Engagement and Liaison Services proposal, or HEALS.
She said while Drake has spoken about embracing a dual response with police and mental health support teams, the proposal hasn't been implemented.
"Talk, talk, talk. We're tired of talking. We're tired of waiting," Boram said. "This has got to stop. Each life is sacred."
NOAH organizer Jerome Moore also spoke briefly at the end of the conference, saying the priority should not be what's best for the city's budget, but what's best for the Nashville community.
"NOAH can't do this by ourselves," Moore said. "It's going to take all of us."
Former MNPD officer and Silent No Longer Tennessee founder Greta McClain also spoke and explained the de-escalation tactics she was taught on the force. She called for a renewed focus on mental health training and intervention tactics for officers.
She also said she has met withMNPD and Nashville leaders to push for change in the past. She hopes that MNPD and Nashville Mayor John Cooper now takethe group's HEALS proposal to heart.
"In my 12 years of law enforcement, I attended six line-of-duty officer funerals — one every two years. That's six too many. I don't want to see any more officers killed, and I don't want to any more of our community members killed."
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NOAH said it is calling on MNPD and District Attorney General Glenn Funk to address questions about de-escalation techniques and the legality of Baker's search of Holbert.
RELATED: With two officer-involved shootings in one day, Nashville police chief vows transparency
Nashville chief vows transparency
Faced with two officer-involved shootings on the same day, Metro Nashville Police Chief John Drake said Saturday he will warn his force to "use caution" and de-escalate when they can.
Drake spoke with members of the media near Vanderbilt University Medical Center on Saturday, where Officer Josh Baker was being treated for injuries sustained in a shooting Friday morning.
FRIDAY MORNING: MNPD releases dash, body camera footage in shooting that killed woman, injured officer
Investigators saidNika Holbert, 31, shot Baker in the stomach during a traffic stop Friday morning and he returned fire.She later died from her injuries. Baker has remained in stable condition after surgery.
A 33-year-old woman was leftin critical condition after being shot twice by an MNPD officer Friday evening. The woman was shot in the 2800 block of Greer Road around 5 p.m. Friday after charging at officers with a pick ax and baseball bat, according to an MNPD news release.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON: Officers followed de-escalation training before shooting woman who had pick ax, MNPD says
MNPD released body camera footage of both incidents.Vowing transparency, Drake said he plans tomake it a policy to release body camera footage whenever it's available.
Reach reporter Rachel Wegner at RAwegner@tennessean.com or on Twitter @rachelannwegner.
