Police Analysis Finds 531 Downtown Calls
A city crime report examined calls near a proposed Southside mini golf attraction at Whiskey Cowgirl, but made no zoning recommendations.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Law Enforcement
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The Chattanooga Crime & Intelligence Analysis Unit documented 531 calls for service within a downtown area over one year, with 139 linked to Whiskey Cowgirl and neighboring bar Southside Social. The report was prepared at council member Raquetta Dotley's request after the City Council rejected a mini golf attraction at the site.
Why it matters
The analysis was limited to documenting historical calls and did not evaluate public safety concerns tied to the proposed attraction. Its findings add a data point to a zoning debate over activity in the Broad Street area of Chattanooga.
The records were obtained through an Oct. 16 public records request and cover calls within an area bounded by Broad, 20th, Chestnut and Main streets. Both Whiskey Cowgirl and Southside Social are owned by developer John Wise.
The players
Raquetta Dotley
Chattanooga City Council member representing Alton Park who requested the crime analysis.
John Wise
Developer who owns both Whiskey Cowgirl and the neighboring bar Southside Social.
The details
Dotley requested the analysis after pointing to people gathering in the proposed parking lot and a police response she witnessed, and her concerns extended beyond the Broad Street bar itself. The report documents historical calls but offers no conclusions about whether the proposed attraction would change public safety conditions in the surrounding area.
Timeline
Oct. 12, 2025 to Oct. 12, 2026: Period covered by the 531 analyzed calls for service.
Oct. 16: Public records request submitted for the analysis.
Legal Context
The council initially rejected the mini golf attraction at Whiskey Cowgirl, and the Crime & Intelligence Analysis Unit's report was then requested to document historical calls for service in the downtown area. The report provides records of past activity but does not evaluate future impacts under the proposed zoning plan.
Residents near Broad Street and the Southside may see the zoning debate resume as the council weighs the mini golf proposal against the call data. The records give nearby neighbors a documented baseline of police activity in the area.
The takeaway
Public records can show what past enforcement looked like, but they do not predict how a new development will change conditions. Residents following zoning decisions should check what additional analysis, if any, the council requests.
Further reading
For more on local policing and public records, see Law Enforcement coverage in Chattanooga.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Timesfreepress.
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