The 1990's were to begin with the effort of the Clarksville Police Department to become an accredited law enforcement agency. The City Council gave it's approval to apply for the Law Enforcement Accreditation Program. The Accreditation Program would provide strict requirements and set goals the Department could strive toward. Captain Bobby Cushman, John Nichols and Steve Poston would make up the team who lead the Department through the various stages to gain national accreditation.

Ties were severed with the Judicial Drug Task Force and the city's Special Operations Unit was formed in 1991. The first search warrant was prepared in February of 1991 and resulted in the raid on Poston Street address which netted seven 8-balls of cocaine.

On August 23, 1991, Special Operation Agents arrested the "Ohio Boys" at a local motel with 1/4 kilo of crack cocaine and two semi-automatic pistols. This investigation was prosecuted in Federal Court. The leader of the group received a sentence of 47 and 1/2 years.

On January 7, 1993, Clarksville got its first reported case of car-jacking. The latest crime craze to plague big cities had found its was to Clarksville. The victim was driving a new Pontiac Grand Am and was stopped at a stoplight when two men pulled him from the car, hit him over the head and sped off in the Grand Am.

Agents of the Special Operations Unit arrested two drug dealers in February of 1993 and seized more than one-half ounce of crack cocaine, one-half pound of marijuana and $10,500 cash. As of 1993, that was the most money seized in the Unit's history.

The Repeat Offenders Program (ROP) was put in effect November 1, 1992. Headed by the Detective Division, it used computer technology to keep track of the city's most notorious criminals. The theory being that keeping them under surveillance would result in arrests, jail time and the crime rate would decline.

Also during this time, the department purchased its own computer system, severing ties with Montgomery County. The C.O.P.S. system was tailored for police agencies such as the Clarksville Police Department. It expanded the department's ability to maintain records for quick retrieval and aided as being a good planning aid. The computer system has experienced two updates and continues to provide the department with valuable information. Also, additional purchases of software particular to law enforcement agencies such as Drug Track and a program for storing mug shots and one for use in helping witnesses or victims create a visual image of a perpetrator for identification purposes.

The Clarksville Police Department started the Alcohol Awareness Program in 1993. This class was offered to all local businesses of the laws pertaining to alcohol related situations and how to better deal with particular incidents where alcohol was purchased.

The Combat Auto Theft (CAT) Program was also started during this time. The Crime Prevention Section of the Department offered the public CAT stickers to place on their vehicles. By displaying the sticker, owners were authorizing the police to pull the car over if it was spotted on the road during early morning hours, when most of the auto thefts occur.

Also in 1993 agents from the U.S. Secret Service, 19th Judicial Task Force and the Clarksville Police Department's Special Operations Unit participated in the raiding of a Southside mobile home. More than 65 gallons of sour mash, between $40,000 - $50,000 in counterfeit bills, three weapons and a homemade still were confiscated in the raid.

In 1993, the Department purchased four laser speed detectors that use an infrared signal radar detectors can't pick up. The detectors have a maximum effective range of 4,000 feet or about 3/4's of a mile.

Lincoln Homes residents cheered undercover police officers who conducted a reverse drug sting in the housing development during the summer of 1994. Lt. Bill Carney believed "Operation No Refund" was definitely a success as 28 persons were arrested. Agent John Atkins said none of the individuals arrested were residents of Lincoln Homes. Taking part in the "drive through market", were members of Special Operations Unit, Intelligence, ROP, Detective, and Patrol Divisions, members of the Springfield Police Department, Robertson County Sheriff's Department and the 19th Judicial District Drug Task Force.

On January 30, 1994, in the early morning hours, the most horrible crime in the memory of Clarksville was committed. Four unsuspecting workers at the Taco Bell on Riverside Drive were murdered by one of their co-workers. After the discovery of the bodies, the City of Clarksville was in shock to believe a crime like this could occur here. immediately, the Clarksville Police Department and the District Attorney's office became involved in the case. Shortly after the discovery of the bodies, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation's crime scene team was called to Clarksville. As anxious family members and concerned citizens watched, the processing of the crime scene was not completed until the early morning hours of January 31. Clarksville became a national point of interest and media representatives from all over the country began to come to Clarksville. The command post was set up in the department's detective division and members from the Clarksville Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff's Department, the F.B.I., the T.B.I., Ft. Campbell Criminal Investigations Division and Austin Peay Security all came together under the direction of Captain Doug Pectol, C.P.D. and Special Agent in Charge of he T.B.I. Middle Tennessee District, Jim Taylor. The purpose of all the agencies was to follow leads and attempt to find the perpetrator. Shortly after the commission of the crime, through day and night work, Courtney Mathews was arrested for the Taco Bell murders. He was subsequently convicted of those crimes but the City of Clarksville will never forget that terrible period of time.

In the Spring of 1994, then Lt. mark Smith and Sgt. Gene Grubbs went to Orlando, Florida to learn of a program known as the Citizens Police Academy. When they returned, the department began to move in the direction of forming its own C.P.A. After much hard work, the program became a reality in the fall of 1994. The program was designed to bring the citizens of the city and the police department closer together through education. For thirteen weeks, students are exposed to what it would be like to be a police officer in the City of Clarksville. Training is concentrated into three hour blocks over those thirteen weeks. Everything from hiring to survival training is taught to the class members. Optional class participation projects are to ride along with a police officer on shift, training at the department's firing range as well as drivers training where the student drives a police car through different courses. An off shoot of the C.P.A. is the Alumni Association. Members of the alumni work with police administration on different projects designed to help the department. An officer of the quarter and officer of the year are selected by the alumni members, a monthly newsletter is published, the alumni has purchased a video projector which has enhanced the department's training function and recently purchased tape recorders for all road officers. The department has graduated nearly three hundred participants and most remain in the alumni association.

On February 17, 1995, Lt. Michael C. Barrett died of a heart attack. His unexpected death hit the entire department hard. Described by Chief Rosson as, "probably one of the best cops I've ever worked with", the Lieutenant strove to serve the Department as he served his country, with loyalty and dedication. His son Tyler, is following in his father's foot steps now by serving as a police officer with the Clarksville Police Department.

Effective July 1, 1995, LTV. Mark Smith was appointed Deputy Chief of the Clarksville Police Department. Deputy Chief Smith was the Lieutenant formerly in charge of the Training Division, the department's computer system and a member of the Vice Squad. He was a 13-year veteran of the police force when selected to be second in command.

In October of 1995, Clarksville was one of the 13 cities selected to receive a federal grant to put more police officers on the street. The Department of Justice of Community-Oriented Police Services announced Clarksville Police Department had been awarded over $200,00 which funded 75% of the salaries for four new officers. The City of Clarksville would pay the remainder.

The Street Crimes Unit was activated in January of 1996., with four officers assigned to makeup this new unit. They were Sgt. Ken Crews, with officers Vince Lewis, Eddie Chancellor and Robert Miller. By May the unit had been expanded to include five additional officers. The Unit's primary focus was to investigate street gangs. They were placed originally in Belleglade Mobile Home Park, Sunnydale Mobile Home Park and Lincoln Homes with the goal to assist the residents in reclaiming their neighborhoods. Since its creation the Unit has cataloged more than 14 gangs, monitored and documented gang activity and conducted numerous workshops throughout the community on gang awareness.

The Street Crime Unit participated in speaking before the Tennessee State Legislative Assembly in the 1997 term for the formation of new Anti-Gang Laws, that were passed. They also have prosecuted gang members for burglaries, drive-by shootings, assisted the Homicide Division in numerous investigations and make drug arrests with the Special Operations Unit.

In January of 1996, Shoney's Inc. restaurants donated 192 Shoney Bears for Patrol Officers to start carrying in their squad cars. These bears were to be given to children who had been exposed to violent domestic situations, involved in some type of an accident or any situation which had resulted in fear of injury on the part of a child.

On February 5, 1996, the Detective Division assisted the FBI in setting up surveillance on a local motel when it was learned that an individual believed to have committed seven armed bank robberies in different states was staying. An hour after being profiled on the television series, "Unsolved Mysteries", F.B.I. agents wee tipped off that he was in Clarksville. A ruse was used to get him to open the door and he was immediately overpowered. This was despite the vow he publicly made never to be taken alive.

In March of 1996, a special task force wa formed to study details on several unsolved murders in both the city and county. The panel included military police, hospital personnel, a psychologist, a sociologist, Austin Peay State University and Clarksville-Montgomery County School System personnel as well as other professionals. Heading the group was Captain Doug Pectol of the Detective Division of the Clarksville Police Department and Lt. Tom Kujawa from the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department.

Officer William O. Rucker, a North Precinct patrolman, died in his patrol car on April 24, 1996. A heart attack victim, he had been with the Department since 1979. Officer Rucker was remembered as being especially attentive to the needs of children and very dedicated to his job.

As of July 1, 1996 there were 161 sworn officers and 19 civilian employees with the Clarksville Police Department.

Clarksville was featured on the nationally syndicated television series "The Leeza Show" on NBC, November 8, 1996. Officer Vince Lewis of the Clarksville police Department's Street Crimes Unit and a local family appeared on the show discussing gangs.

Thanksgiving 1996 marked the 10th anniversary of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) delivering food baskets to local families. For the last 10 years the FOP has done this with the aid of donations from the public to help make sure as many families as possible would not go without a special holiday dinner.

In April of 1997, The Clarksville Police Department received a community grant which allowed the department to add four more officers to its force.

On April 23, 1997 two Baskin Robbins employees were abducted as they prepared to close the store. Both bodies wee discovered the next morning at Dunbar Cave State Park.

This incident touched off an investigation involving participation from nearly every member of the police force, as well as other agencies who offered their assistance through additional personnel and/or equipment. On June 25, 1997, one individual was indicted on charges relating to the double homicide.

In May, the Clarksville Police Department asked local businesses/merchants for their help making businesses in Clarksville safer. Project Sub-Station was to be part of the community policing approach. Each Sub-Station would be provided with a fax machine, telephone and a work area where an officer could come in and do paperwork. The fact that an officer could be on the premises at any time should serve as a deterrent to crime.

In August 1997, an undercover drug sting, culminating a year-long operation, resulted in the indictment of 35 people by the Grand Jury. There were 210 counts of sale and delivery of crack cocaine according to the Special Operations Unit. The investigation was funded through a $150,000 federal grant.