Metro Police Make OT, Travel Changes In Wake Of Mayor's Affair

NASHVILLE, TN -- As fallout continues from Nashville Mayor Megan Barry's admitted affair with her now-former security chief, the Metro Nashville Police Department announced policy changes for the mayoral security detail.

Sgt. Rob Forrest racked up more than $170,000 in overtime pay while serving as the head of Barry's detail, far outpacing what he earned while leading security for the two previous mayors. The bulk of that came while he and the mayor were pursuing an extramarital relationship. In addition, a policy change moved oversight for his travel with the mayor - which included domestic and European trips - from the police department to the mayor's office, though approval forms still showed that MNPD Chief Steve Anderson signed off on the trips, even though he'd never seen the forms. The mayor's office says that was caused by a "coincidental computer glitch."

In any case, the police department says policies for scheduling, overtime and travel for the mayor's security detail are changing. Sgt. Chris West, who leads the detail after Forrest's retirement, is utilizing a new rotation to minimize overtime, with a different member of the team coming in later each day and members of the detail alternating any weekend duties.

MNPD also moved travel approval back under the police umbrella with air travel reported immediately to both a Special Investigations Division lieutenant and captain.

Image via Metro Nashville Police