POLICE Logo
MenuMENU
SearchSEARCH

Nashville Police Allowed To Carry AR-15s

In response to the recent mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., and others, the Metro Nashville Police Department will allow trained officers to carry their personal AR-15 rifles inside their vehicles while on duty.

January 20, 2013
Nashville Police Allowed To Carry AR-15s

Photo via Inventorchris/Flickr.

In response to the recent mass shooting in Newtown , Conn., and others, the Metro Nashville Police Department will allow trained officers to carry their personal AR-15 rifles inside their vehicles while on duty.

"Deadly events across the United States over the past few years, including, among others, those in Carson City, Nev., Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn., demonstrate the high-powered weapons with which criminals are arming themselves," Metro Police Chief Steve Anderson said.

Ad Loading...

"It has become increasingly clear that a pistol and shotgun may not be enough for an officer to stop a threat to innocent citizens. This policy change is in the best interest of public and officer safety."

Under the department’s existing policy, a limited number of officers involved in SWAT and canine unit assignments carry those weapons.

Read the full Tennessean story.

More Weapons

patrolfinder - reducing crime thumbnail
SponsoredOctober 27, 2025

How One Police Department Cut Crime by 46% with Smarter Patrol Management

Discover how one police department cut crime nearly in half using smarter patrol data. This whitepaper breaks down the real-world strategy behind a 46% drop in vehicle thefts, improved officer safety, and stronger community visibility.

Read More →
Safariland header photo
Sponsoredby David ReederOctober 22, 2025

Is Your Duty Holster Duty Rated?

The first – and worst – time I had to fight to keep my gun, my holster and duty belt held up far better than my training did.

Read More →
Aimpoint 50th Anniversary Logo - Black Shield with White and Red Design
WeaponsSeptember 12, 2025

Aimpoint Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation and Excellence in Sighting Technology

Aimpoint is marking its 50th anniversary in 2025, celebrating five decades of red dot innovation trusted by military, law enforcement, and tactical professionals worldwide.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
WeaponsMay 1, 2025

Streamlight Introduces Long-Range Handgun Light

“Our newest weapon light provides an industry-leading level of candela for handguns, giving users enhanced visibility under low light conditions, such as when searching a dark alley,” said Streamlight President Michael F. Dineen.

Read More →
WeaponsMarch 26, 2025

Georgia Sheriff Warns Criminals They Face Felony Charges for Having Glock Switches

This device by itself, regardless if it is installed on a slide or not, is classified by the ATF to be a machine gun, which is illegal to possess,” the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office said.

Read More →
WeaponsMarch 26, 2025

NYPD Building Quieter Training Range

The police department says the largely enclosed new facility will reduce the noise from the shooting range, also used by bomb squad trainees and Correction officers, which has been active since 1960.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
WeaponsMarch 25, 2025

Bills to Let Officers and LE Retirees Carry in No-Gun Zones Reintroduced in Congress

The legislation would permit LEOSA-qualified officers and law enforcement retirees to carry in state, local, and private property otherwise open to the public; national parks; certain federal public access facilities; and school zones.

Read More →
PatrolMarch 12, 2025

The POLICE Pistol Optics Survey

The survey of working officers shows that police have embraced handgun optics with great enthusiasm. Of the officers who completed our entire survey, 77% said their agencies allow them to use handgun optics on duty.

Read More →
PatrolFebruary 12, 2025

Seattle City Council Votes to Reauthorize Police Use of Less-Lethal Weapons During Riots

The new ordinance allows police to use non-lethal weapons such as blast balls and pepper spray but requires those methods to be approved by the chief of police.

Read More →
Ad Loading...
WeaponsJanuary 24, 2025

SHOT SHOW 2025: Mossberg Releases 590M Breacher Professional Series

The design of the 590M provides balance and weight distribution and increased capacity while also allowing for the more compact conditions often required for breaching.

Read More →