John Drake

Advisory Board Member

Chief of Police John Drake began his law enforcement career in his hometown of Nashville as a police officer in 1988 and continues to dedicate himself to the safety of Nashville’s families and visitors. Chief Drake will celebrate his 36th anniversary with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department on March 16, 2024.

He was appointed Interim Chief in August 2020, and permanent Chief on November 30, 2020. Chief Drake quickly established three unwavering core pillars that guide the department daily: Organizational Excellence, Community Engagement, and Precision Policing.

Chief Drake’s police service started in the Patrol Division, before being assigned to the Vice Division’s Narcotics Unit to investigate mid to upper-level drug traffickers. From the Narcotics Unit, and with a passion to mentor youth, Chief Drake transferred to the Police Athletic League, where he began a basketball program for children. That program grew from 100 participants the first year to more than 1,300 participants in less than 5 years. Chief Drake also started a junior golf program which is now part of the First Tee initiative.

Chief Drake began seeking leadership roles in 2006, was promoted to sergeant in February 2007, and served as a patrol supervisor at the North Precinct. He next went to the Office of Professional Accountability, where he investigated internal allegations against both sworn and civilian police department employees. In 2010, following his promotion to lieutenant, Chief Drake was assigned to the Hermitage Precinct to lead its Investigations Unit, which handled cases ranging from homicide to misdemeanor theft. After four years as an investigative lieutenant, Chief Drake was promoted to captain (April 2014) and served as an overnight field supervisor for six months before being assigned to oversee the Domestic Violence Division as its first male captain. While there, Chief Drake helped start the lethality assessment program and detailed domestic violence supplements, which are still widely used today.

On September 1, 2015, Chief Drake was appointed commander of the Central Precinct, Nashville’s downtown business/entertainment district, which draws millions of tourist visits each year. On July 1, 2017, Chief Drake was appointed Deputy Chief over the newly created Support Services Bureau, which oversees SWAT, Special Events, Field Training Officers, School Resource Officers, Fleet Operations, Building Services, Parks, Warrants, Aviation and several other components within the police department.

In June 2020, Chief Drake was appointed Deputy Chief over the Community Services Bureau, which includes the department’s 8 precincts.

Chief Drake holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from the College of Public Service at Bethel University. On September 30, 2022, he was named secretary and one of seven Board of Directors of the Washington, D.C.-based Police Executive Research Forum, the nation’s preeminent independent research organization that focuses on critical issues in policing. Chief Drake was selected 2023 Chief of the Year by the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police.