Davidson County Sheriff launches investigation into security company accused of allowing fake police officers in Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – The Davidson County Sheriff's Office is launching an investigation into possible “abuse” of its employees and policy violations by Solaren, a Mt. Juliet-based security company.

The company and its CEO Jack Byrd are the focus of our Thin Blurred Line investigation into how “fake cops” operate in Nashville.

Following our report on citizens without state authorization with police ID, the state filed 62 criminal charges against solarians.

In response to these violations, Byrd's lawyers went to court and asked an administrative law judge to dismiss the case.

Solaren's arguments include that her employees, who also work as security guards for the Davidson County Sheriff's Office in their spare time, should be allowed to carry police badges because they have “special police powers.”

WSMV4 Investigates has reached out to the sheriff's office for comment on this claim, as officers are assigned as jailers in Davidson County and serve civil warrants.

In a series of emails to WSMV4 Investigates, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's office wrote that her deputies are not licensed as police officers in Tennessee.

“The Nashville-Davidson County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) is investigating allegations of possible violations of DCSO policy and abuse of our employees by Solaren Risk Management. It should be clarified that the owner of this company, Jack Byrd, was employed by DCSO from 2011 to 2015 and is well aware that our employees do not have criminal arrest powers,” the spokeswoman wrote.

In response, Byrd emailed WSMV Investigates, “If the Sheriff has any questions or concerns, he has my cell phone number. As (the sheriff's spokeswoman) mentioned, I am very aware of their policies and practices, perhaps even more so than some still employed in their senior leadership. I dare say this organization wants to bury those hatchets, but they are here if they want them.”

The state also reported violations to Solaren for allowing civil security forces to use blue/red police lights.

Byrd's attorneys responded in court filings that the state had not determined which of their employees used the police blue/red lights, so the violations should be dismissed.

The violations will now either be dealt with by an administrative judge or resolved through mediation, whichever comes first.

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