Mt. Juliet police arrested a 39-year-old Nashville man with multiple prior felony convictions after discovering he was unlawfully carrying a firearm during a traffic stop Tuesday, Oct. 13.
An officer pulled the man over after observing a traffic violation, the Mt. Juliet Police Department said on X. The department did not identify the suspect by name or specify the violation that prompted the stop.
The arrest is the latest example of what the department calls proactive policing. The Mt. Juliet Police Department has described the approach as a combination of officer visibility, strategic patrol operations and investigative work aimed at identifying threats and preventing criminal activity before it reaches the community.
During the first six months of 2026, Mt. Juliet officers apprehended 342 wanted individuals, 88 percent of whom were not Mt. Juliet residents, according to a department statement in September. That statement noted routine traffic stops can quickly develop into encounters involving wanted individuals, illegal drugs, stolen property or firearms.
The department has also credited investments in technology for the trend. Cameras, license plate readers and drones have all played a role, according to a May report by WSMV.
"Majority of the offenders do not live in our city. We have to work hard every day to be proactive to keep that level of crime out … So our efforts are working," Police Chief Tyler Chandler told WSMV on May 5, when the department reported thefts had dropped 57 percent compared to the same period in 2025.
Chandler also said Mt. Juliet sits near some of the highest-crime areas in the region but maintains one of the lowest crime rates.
The department has not released the suspect's name, the specific charges filed or the type of firearm recovered in Tuesday's arrest. No response from the suspect or a representative appears in public records as of publication.
The Mt. Juliet Police Department asks residents with information about criminal activity to contact the department.
