A former lieutenant with the Metro Nashville Police Department, Garet Davidson, stands accused of multiple charges including theft, burglary, and official misconduct, according to recent indictments. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has alleged that Davidson misused his authority to obtain restricted areas within MNPD to access and remove documents without authorization, as reported by WSMV4 Investigates. This misconduct reportedly includes the unauthorized release of the Covenant School shooter's writings.
The ex-lieutenant's actions came to light after an investigation into a conservative podcaster's acquisition of pages from the shooter's journals. In November 2024, a search warrant was executed at Davidson's Portland home in connection with the probe, and information from NewsChannel 5 indicated that Davidson had resigned from Metro Police a month prior.
Davidson, who formerly served as a lieutenant of the Office of Professional Accountability at MNPD, had previously lodged his own accusations against the department. In a 61-page complaint filed in 2024 and acquired by News 2, Davidson claimed that MNPD was covertly colluding with state lawmakers to dismantle Nashville's voter-established Community Oversight Board. He later discussed this complaint in an interview with News 2.
One aspect of the case surrounds Davidson's possession, of a hard drive containing the investigative file on The Covenant School shooting, and his exclusive access to a secure safe — a claim reported by WKRN as noted in a court filing. Following his indictment, Davidson was taken into custody in Portland, Tennessee; he faces one count of theft, two counts of burglary, and thirty-six counts of official misconduct with six related to the school shooting, TBI agents, with assistance from the Robertson County Sheriff’s Office, confirmed his arrest on these charges.
Currently, Davidson is booked in the Davidson County Jail with a bond set at $150,000. The case promises to keep unfolding as investigations continue into the leak of sensitive information and the broader allegations of wrongdoing both within and against the MNPD.
