During her 25-year career with Metro Nashville Police Department, Deputy Chief Natalie Kay Lokey has served in many roles within the police department. Deputy Lokey began her career as a School Resource Officer. In 2004, she was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and assigned to the Police Training Academy. In 2008, she was promoted to Lieutenant where she was assigned to the Hermitage Precinct evening shifting patrol, but quickly moved to assumed the duties in the Background and Recruitment Division. In 2010 she was promoted to Captain serving the Central Records Division until her appointment to the Domestic Violence Division in 2012. She was made the Commander of the Midtown Hill Police Precinct in 2014. In 2020 she was promoted to Deputy Chief of Police and assigned to the Administrative Services Bureau.
Deputy Chief Lokey holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Management and a Master of Science in Public Service Management. She has completed dozens of leadership programs during her 25 years with the department. A few of those include the Police Supervision and Leadership program (2004), the International Association of Chiefs of Leadership in Policing Organizations training program (2009), the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police (2011), and the Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy (2011).
Deputy Chief Lokey has received awards and has a publication to her credit as well. Deputy Chief Lokey contributed to the publication, Investigating Domestic Violence Cases, Aspatore, which was published in 2012. She received the Cumberland University Distinguished Alumni Award of Excellence from The Oakley School of Humanities, Arts & Education in 2022.
In addition, Deputy Chief Lokey serves on several boards and committees. She serves on the Vanderbilt University Medical Center LifeFlight Diversity Board. In 2021 she served as a Steering Committee Member for the 30 by 30 Initiative. Deputy Chief Lokey has been a member of NAWLEE since 2010, and she is currently serving as the 1st Vice President for the organization.
Deputy Chief Lokey retired from the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department in April 2022.
