Oakland TN Police Department

08/27/2026

Good morning Oakland and the surrounding area…..

This morning there was a shooting at a house on Hwy 194 located outside the city limits of Oakland. This was a targeted event and is being investigated by the Fayette County Sheriff's Office. If you have any information that may be useful in regards to this incident please contact Fayette County Dispatch at 901-465-3456.

Thank you!!!!

08/25/2026

We wanted to say thank you to all of our amazing citizens who participated in the First Responders luncheon which was hosted on Saturday August 22, 2026. Unfortunately, the police and fire departments were tied up all day on the incident at Chestnut Ridge/194. The food did not go to waste, as it was used to feed the first responders on scene.

Also, we don't have the names of everyone who participated and/or brought food items so if you did, please say HELLO in the comments!!

Once again, Thank you to everyone involved!!!

08/23/2026

Residents who live on Chestnut Ridge Rd. who have been evacuated can return to your homes at this time.

We want to thank everyone for their cooperation and we will be issuing a more in-depth release shortly. All of you have already heard there was a device located inside one of the homes on Chestnut Ridge which was successfully removed and disposed of by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office bomb unit. There were no injuries and there were no additional devices located.

Once again, thank you to everyone for your cooperation and thank you Shelby County Sheriff's Office and Fayette County Sheriff's Office for all of your assistance with this matter.

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08/22/2026

ATTENTION OAKLAND AND THE SURROUNDING AREA

We are working an active scene on Chestnut Ridge at Highway 194. There are multiple agencies involved and this is a very active area right now and will be for an extended period of time.

PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THIS AREA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ROADWAYS ARE BLOCKED OFF SO FIND ANOTHER ROUTE IF YOU NEED TO TRAVEL ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE CITY ON HWY194

We will have a press release when we can.

Thank You!!

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08/13/2026

Good Afternoon OAKLAND!!!!!!!!

We are very excited to introduce you to our newest patrol officer K9 Bodie.

K9 Bodie, along with all of the required K9 equipment, was purchased with monies from our Narcotics fund. K9 Bodie was flown to the United States from Poland and then trained at Pacesetter K9 located in Liberty Hill, TX. K9 Bodie is a Dual-Purpose Narcotics and Patrol K9.

Officer Gonzalez was selected to attend K9 school at Pacesetter K9 to assist in the final stages of training with Bodie. This team graduated and were certified in their respective fields and have been patrolling the streets of Oakland since July 19, 2026.

Please say hello to our much needed and long overdue K9 Team!!

08/05/2026

Good afternoon,
While this is a good day for justice, it's still a bad day for a family. We wanted to post this for everyone to read. If you are a struggling parent, or you know someone who is, please contact the helplines provided:

Free, confidential parenting helplines and support groups are available nationwide, such as the 24/7 Parent Stress Line at 1-800-632-8188 and the National Parent & Youth Helpline at 855-427-2736, which offers phone, text, and live chat support in multiple languages.

Jury Returns Guilty Verdict in 2022 Infant Death and Child Abuse Case

Oakland, TN — August 5, 2026 — The Oakland Police Department announces that a jury has returned a guilty verdict in connection with a 2022 case involving the death of a 7-month-old infant and the serious bodily injury of his twin sibling.
The incident occurred on June 23, 2022, and involved a 7-month-old male infant who died, as well as his twin sibling who sustained severe injuries. Following a thorough investigation, the case proceeded to trial on August 4 and August 5, 2026, at the Fayette County Criminal Justice Complex.

After two days of testimony and presentation of physical evidence, the jury found Christopher Gardner, 42, of Oakland, guilty of First-Degree Murder in the perpetration of Aggravated Child Neglect and First-Degree Murder in the perpetration of Aggravated Child Abuse, as well as two counts of Aggravated Child Endangerment/Abuse.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 1, 2026.

The Oakland Police Department extends its sincere appreciation to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Memphis Police Department, and the Tennessee Department of Children’s Services for their collaborative efforts in building this case. The Department also recognizes the Fayette County District Attorney General’s Office for their dedication and extensive preparation, which contributed to the successful prosecution.

While this verdict cannot restore the life that has been lost, it represents a measure of justice for the infant victim and the three surviving children impacted by this tragedy.

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08/03/2026

This morning Asst. Chief Gaines was sworn in as Chief of Police for the Oakland Police Department. Chief Gaines has served the Town of Oakland for 25 years, starting as one of the first Reserve Officers. Over the years Chief Gaines has held the ranks of Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Assistant Chief, and now Chief. We are excited to see him in this leadership role and for the future of the Oakland Police Department.

Swearing in ceremony was conducted by Oakland City Court Judge Mark McDaniel. Chief Gaines was introduced by Town Manager Harvey Ellis.

07/28/2026

In case you didn't know, Chief Earl is retiring. Chief Earl has spent 16 years of his extensive law enforcement career with the Oakland Police Department. This Friday, July 31, 2026, at 12:00pm there will be a small event in the court room at the Oakland City Hall in celebration of his retirement. You are more than welcome to stop in if you'd like.

Thank you.

Send a message to learn more

07/13/2026

Here's some great news from Shelby County Sheriff's Office

UPDATE: Sandra Fort has been found safe.
Thank you to everyone who shared her information and assisted in the search.

05/15/2026

If you see these gentlemen walking today, they are doing a 111 mile ruck in honor of the 111 Law Enforcement Officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in 2025. Please pass them cautiously as they traverse Highway 64 over the next 26 hours.

If you are willing and able to, you can join in on this event at any time when you see them!!