An extensive internal investigation by the Metro Nashville Police Department's Office of Professional Accountability (OPA) has cleared Chief John Drake of allegations relating to misconduct and influencing an arrest, as detailed in a 26-page report. The allegations surfaced following a complaint from Watechia Lawless-Mitchell, a senior city official who accused her ex-husband, Mario Mitchell, of stalking and threatening her, which led to his arrest. Mitchell countered by alleging an affair between his ex-wife and Chief Drake, claiming it was the reason behind his arrest, NewsChannel 5 reported.
Throughout the investigation, text messages exchanged between Drake and Lawless-Mitchell during their three-month relationship were scrutinized. Claims that these messages documented intimate encounters during work hours at police headquarters and in Metro vehicles were found to be baseless. According to the investigation, Lawless-Mitchell confirmed that "non-business or intimate meetings occurred during regular business hours or while Drake was on duty," as NewsChannel 5 details. Chief Drake also asserted that there were "never any intimate meetings...on Metro Government property or while on duty."
The findings from the OPA categorically stated that there was no evidence of Chief Drake influencing or attempting to influence the case against Mitchell. Furthermore, no evidence supported an inappropriate relationship during work hours or any effort by Drake to conceal evidence. FOX 17 News obtained documents that show that Watechia Lawless-Mitchell raised concerns about her ex-husband to her supervisor, resulting in a security alert and the involvement of the MNPD’s Security Threat Section. Following the arrest of Mitchell, the internal investigation began after he implied an affair was behind the arrest.
Despite the salacious claims and public interest, the allegations against Chief Drake were ultimately deemed "unfounded or not sustained." Particularly poignant was the fact that while Mitchell made allegations about the nature of the relationship between Drake and his ex-wife and claimed hookups during work hours, this turned out to be unsupported by the text analysis; which, as WSMV 4 Investigates found, contained exchanges "during evening hours and/or on weekends."
With the conclusion of this investigation, Chief Drake stated through a spokesperson that he is "focused on the operation of the MNPD and the safety of Nashvillians and our guests. He’s moving forward," signaling an end to a tumultuous chapter for both the MNPD chief and the city's law enforcement community. This statement aligns with the professional tone set throughout the probe, which sought to analyze the claims without bias or influence, particularly as Chief Drake was walled off from the investigation, which was instead reported directly to Assistant Chief Mike Hagar, per NewsChannel 5.
