NASHVILLE, TN — A Metro Nashville police officer has been arrested after supervisors said he came to work Wednesday morning showing signs of intoxication. The officer, Jordan Vrbas, was assigned to the Midtown Hills Precinct and has served with the department for 11 years.
According to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, the concerns began when Vrbas reported for duty and appeared impaired. Supervisors then asked the traffic division to look into the situation, and an investigator later said alcohol could be smelled coming from him.
Police said additional signs of impairment were observed during a field sobriety test. Vrbas was later charged with DUI and possession of a gun while under the influence, both misdemeanor offenses under Tennessee law.
How the traffic division investigation unfolded
Metro police said the case was handled first as an internal concern before it became a criminal matter. Once supervisors noticed the possible impairment, they brought in the traffic division to investigate what had happened at the precinct.
During that review, an investigator reported detecting the odor of alcohol on Vrbas. Police also said the officer went through a field sobriety test, during which other signs of impairment were noted.
The department said a breath sample later came back at .11%, which is above Tennessee’s legal limit of .08% for driving under the influence. That reading became part of the basis for the arrest and the charges filed against him.
Charges filed under Tennessee law
Police said Vrbas now faces two misdemeanor charges: DUI and gun possession while under the influence. Those allegations stem from the same incident that began when he arrived at work on Wednesday morning.
The department did not provide additional details about the firearm allegation beyond the charge itself. It also did not say whether the gun was carried on duty or how it was discovered during the investigation.
Because both charges are misdemeanors, the case is being handled through the normal criminal process rather than as a felony arrest. Police have not announced a court date or given any further information about the next steps in the case.
Officer taken off duty immediately after arrest
Vrbas was immediately decommissioned after the arrest, according to the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department. That means he was removed from active police duty while the case moves forward.
He is described by the department as an 11-year veteran. Police did not say whether he has been suspended, placed on leave, or assigned any administrative restrictions beyond being decommissioned.
The arrest adds a disciplinary layer on top of the criminal charges because it involved an officer showing up for work in a condition that supervisors believed warranted intervention. The department has not released any statement from Vrbas or his representatives.
Separate internal review now underway
In addition to the arrest, the Office of Professional Accountability has opened a separate administrative investigation. That review will run alongside the criminal case and focus on whether department policy was violated.
Police did not say how long the administrative process may take or what possible discipline could follow. Internal investigations of this kind can continue even after criminal charges are filed, especially when the conduct involves an employee of the department itself.
For Metro Nashville police, the case places scrutiny on a sworn officer’s conduct while reporting for duty. The department has said only that the matter is being investigated both criminally and administratively.
What the case means for the department
The arrest involves one of Nashville’s own officers and comes after supervisors inside the department raised the alarm. That makes the case unusual because it started with an apparent workplace concern rather than an outside complaint.
Vrbas’ 11 years with Metro police also give the case added significance inside the department. Police have not said whether the arrest affected operations at Midtown Hills Precinct or whether any other employees were involved in the response.
For now, the department says the criminal charges and the internal review are both moving ahead. No further facts about the incident have been released beyond the breath-test result, the sobriety evaluation, and the charges filed after the investigation.
