# Tennessee Highway Patrol

The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is the State Patrol organization for the U.S. state of Tennessee, responsible for enforcing all federal and state laws relating to traffic on the state's federal and state highways. The agency was created to protect the lives, property, and constitutional rights of people in Tennessee. The THP is a division of the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol provides assistance to motorists who need help. It investigates traffic accidents involving property damage, personal injury, or death. The agency works with prosecutors in the prosecution of cases in which the use of drugs or alcohol contributed to accidents causing personal injury or fatalities. In addition to traffic law enforcement, the Tennessee Highway Patrol has responsibility in criminal interdiction, which involves the suppression of narcotics on the state's roads and highways, including Interstate Highways. It is the agency responsible for conducting background checks on applicants for permits to carry handguns.

## History

The Tennessee Highway Patrol came into existence on December 14, 1929, to replace the unpopular Tennessee State Police Force, which had been created in 1926 and had been patterned after the Texas Rangers to obtain fees and taxes from citizens. In 1957, the Tennessee Highway Patrol became the first police agency in the United States to utilize helicopters in patrol work.

## Administration

The head of the Tennessee Highway Patrol is Colonel Matt Perry, who has served with the organization since 2004 and has served as the head of Tennessee Highway Patrol since December 2020. The THP is headquartered in Nashville, the state capital. The agency's field operations are organized geographically into eight districts, each with a district headquarters and a varying number of troops (stations that are usually grouped with adjacent counties). As of September 2007, the Tennessee Highway Patrol was authorized to have up to 947 commissioned troopers.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol operates six inspection sites around the state, in Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7. The Tennessee Highway Patrol's enforcement activities at the inspection sites, also called scale complexes, include inspections of commercial vehicles and driver logs, highway patrols with a focus on traffic violations by trucks, and weighing of commercial vehicles, both at permanent inspection stations on Interstate highways and with portable scales.

### Organization

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is organized into eight districts, which have a district headquarters, a varying number of troops, and county facilities. The table below indicates the district, the troops in each region, the counties in each district and troop, and the locations of the district headquarters and inspection facilities (called scale complexes). With the extensive coverage of THP facilities, the Tennessee Highway Patrol therefore has a presence in each of Tennessee's 95 counties.
THP districts with their constituent troops and scale complexes :
| District 1 (Knoxville) | District 2 (Chattanooga) | District 3 (Nashville) | District 4 (Memphis) | District 5 (Fall Branch) | District 6 (Cookeville) | District 7 (Lawrenceburg) | District 8 (Jackson) |
| District 1 covers 10 counties: Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, and Sevier. District 1 has 4 troops: Troops A, B, C, and D. | District 2 covers 12 counties: Bledsoe, Bradley, Coffee, Franklin, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea, and Sequatchie. District 2 has 5 troops: Troops A, B, C, D, and E. | District 3 covers 12 counties: Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Houston, Humphreys, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Stewart, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson. District 3 has 7 geographical troops: Troops A, B, C, D, E, F, and G | District 4 covers 7 counties: Crockett, Fayette, Hardeman, Haywood, Lauderdale, Shelby, and Tipton. District 4 has 4 troops: Troops A, B, C, and D. | District 5 covers 14 counties: Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, and Washington. District 5 has 5 troops: Troops A, B, C, D, and E. | District 6 covers 15 counties: Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, DeKalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Trousdale, Van Buren, Warren, and White. District 6 has 5 troops: Troops A, B, C, D, and E. | District 7 covers 11 counties: Bedford, Giles, Hickman, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Moore, Perry, and Wayne. District 7 has four troops: Troops A, B, C, and D. | District 8 covers 14 counties: Benton, Carroll, Chester, Decatur, Dyer, Gibson, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Madison, McNairy, Obion, and Weakley District 8 has 5 troops: Troops A, B, C, D, and E. |
| Troop A covers the following county: Knox. | Troop A covers the following county: Hamilton. | Troop A covers the following counties: Cheatham, Dickson, and Humphreys. | Troop A covers the following counties: Shelby. | Troop A covers the following counties: Washington, Carter, Johnson, and Unicoi. | Troop A covers the following county: Putnam. | Troop A covers the following counties: Giles, Lawrence, and Lincoln. | Troop A covers the following county: Madison. |
| Troop B covers the following counties: Loudon, Morgan, and Roane. | Troop B covers the following counties: Bledsoe, Marion, and Sequatchie. | Troop B covers the following counties: Williamson. | Troop B covers the following counties: Fayette and Hardeman. | Troop B covers the following county: Sullivan. | Troop B covers the following counties: Fentress, Overton, and Pickett. | Troop B covers the following counties: Bedford, Marshall, and Moore. | Troop B covers the following counties: Gibson, Dyer, Lake, and Obion. |
| Troop C covers the following counties: Anderson, Campbell, and Scott. | Troop C covers the following counties: Bradley and Polk. | Troop C covers the following counties: Houston, Montgomery, and Stewart. | Troop C covers the following counties: Crockett, Lauderdale, and Tipton. | Troop C covers the following counties: Greene and Hawkins. | Troop C covers the following counties: Cumberland, Van Buren, and White. | Troop C covers the following counties: Hickman and Maury. | Troop C covers the following counties: Benton, Carroll, Henry, and Weakley. |
| Troop D covers the following counties: Blount, Monroe, and Sevier. | Troop D covers the following counties: Coffee, Franklin, and Grundy. | Troop D covers the following counties: Wilson and Sumner. | Troop D covers the following counties: Haywood. | Troop D covers the following counties: Claiborne, Grainger, Hancock, and Union. | Troop D covers the following counties: Cannon, DeKalb, Smith, and Warren. | Troop D covers the following counties: Lewis, Perry, and Wayne. | Troop D covers the following counties: Decatur and Henderson. |
| | Troop E covers the following counties: McMinn, Meigs, and Rhea. | Troop E covers the following county: Robertson. | | Troop E covers the following counties: Cocke, Hamblen, and Jefferson. | Troop E covers the following counties: Clay, Jackson, Macon, and Trousdale | | Troop E covers the following counties: Chester, Hardin, and McNairy. |
| | | Troop S comprises the following special programs: New Entrance, ACES, Pupil Transportation, D.A.R.E, and Motorcoach Inspection. | | | | | |
| The district headquarters are in Knoxville and the district's scale complex is located in Knox County. | The district headquarters are in Chattanooga and the district's scale complex is located in Coffee County. | The district headquarters are in Nashville and the district's scale complex is located in Robertson County. | The district headquarters are in Memphis and the district's scale complex is located in Haywood County. | The district headquarters are in Fall Branch and the district's scale complex is located in Greene County. | The district headquarters are in Cookeville. | The district headquarters are in Lawrenceburg and the district's scale complex is located in Giles County. | The district headquarters are in Jackson. |

### Criminal Investigation Division

The Criminal Investigation Division of the Tennessee Highway Patrol investigates, gathers evidence, and assists federal, state, and local law enforcement, when requested. It also handles background checks for handgun carry permits.
* Handgun Carry Permits
* Identity Theft Information

### Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division

The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division of the Tennessee Highway Patrol inspects commercial vehicles and driver logs, weighs commercial vehicles, and patrols highways with a focus on truck traffic violations. Troop S in District 3 conducts all the below programs in addition to the D.A.R.E. program:
* District Offices
* New Entrant Program
* A.C.E.S.
* Pupil Transportation

### Special Operations Unit

The Special Operations Unit of the Tennessee Highway Patrol consists of four specialized sections:
* Aviation section, which comprises four pilots, one mechanic, five Jet Ranger helicopters, and one Huey UH-1H,
* Tactical/Scuba divers/Bomb Squad,
* K-9 section, and
* the Governor's Task Force on Marijuana Eradication.
* Facility Protection Unit

## Uniform and equipment

The design of the shoulder patch of the THP is unique, as it is the only State Police shoulder patch to identify the admittance of the state into the Union. Tennessee was the 16th state admitted in the Union; therefore the shoulder patch has a Roman numeral 16 displayed on it.
The uniform of the THP consists of a tan uniform shirt with forest green epaulets and pocket flaps. Long sleeves with a forest green tie is worn during the winter months while short sleeves with an open collar is worn during the summer months. Collar ornaments that have the letters "T.H.P" are worn on the collars of both seasonal uniform shirts. The uniform pant is forest green with a wide black stripe. The uniform hat is a forest green campaign style hat. A felt version is worn with the winter uniform while a straw version is worn with the summer uniform. A miniaturized version of the breast badge is worn as a hat badge while higher ranks display their insignia of rank on the uniform hat. A silver or gold (Depending on Rank) cord with acorns is worn at the base of the hat.
The THP utilizes a unique duty belt. Instead of the standard 2+1⁄4-inch-wide (5.7 cm) duty belt worn by most agencies, the THP utilizes a 3-inch-wide (7.6 cm) clarino (Patent High Gloss) leather duty belt, creating a distinctive look. All other accessories on the belt are also clarino and feature hidden snap closures. The belt buckle is silver for troopers and gold for higher ranks.
The issued sidearm for THP Troopers is the Glock Model 45 chambered in 9x19mm. Also THP troopers wear bulletproof vests under their uniform shirt. Less lethal weapons issued to troopers include OC Pepper Spray and the Expandable Straight Baton.Troopers are also issued the Glock model 43x as a backup weapon. In 2023, the Tennessee Highway Patrol began fielding the Axon Taser X7 for duty use.

## Fallen officers

Since the organization was established, 44 members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol have died in the line of duty.
| Officer | Date of death | Details |
| Charles Hash | April 11, 1930 | Killed while operating a motorcycle in Memphis |
| Walter Jones | July 31, 1933 | Killed while operating a motorcycle in Nashville |
| Lee Lovelace | February 3, 1934 | Killed in a motorcycle accident |
| Clovis Cole | May 2, 1934 | Killed in a motorcycle accident in Union City |
| Ed Kennedy | August 22, 1934 | Killed in an automobile accident in Crab Orchard |
| Lindsey Smith | December 17, 1934 | Killed by a gunshot wound in Tullahoma |
| Earl Hicks | June 17, 1936 | Killed in a motorcycle accident in Knox County |
| Paul Summers | August 8, 1936 | Killed in a motorcycle accident in Nashville |
| Carl Hickman | September 15, 1937 | Killed in a motorcycle accident in Athens |
| Lewis Boone | October 18, 1938 | Killed in a motorcycle accident in Pigeon Forge |
| Charles Gearhiser | November 12, 1938 | Killed in a motorcycle accident in Dyer County |
| William Howard James | September 14, 1942 | Killed in a motorcycle accident in Murfreesboro |
| James Williams | January 1, 1943 | Killed in a motorcycle accident in Murfreesboro |
| William Crutcher | August 3, 1944 | Killed in a motorcycle accident in Bordeaux |
| Fred Cole Waldrop | April 1, 1950 | Killed in an automobile accident in Goodlettsville |
| Oliver Devard Williamson | April 6, 1952 | Killed during a tornado in Brownsville |
| Oscar Newton Morris | May 9, 1956 | Killed by being struck by an automobile |
| Raymond Hendon | June 3, 1957 | Killed in an automobile accident in Smyrna |
| Edward Jowers | August 3, 1962 | Killed in an automobile accident in Memphis |
| Kenneth Moore | February 2, 1964 | Suffered a heart attack |
| Joseph Emanuel Dillard | September 15, 1964 | Killed in an automobile accident in Medina |
| William Gordon Barnes | January 22, 1966 | Killed in an automobile accident |
| Michael Theodore Dafferner | April 6, 1966 | Killed in an automobile accident in Knoxville |
| Samual W. Gibbs | August 27, 1966 | Killed by a gunshot wound in Shelbyville |
| Eugene Brakebill | October 9, 1966 | Suffered a heart attack while in pursuit of a car |
| Roy Alford Mynatt | February 11, 1968 | Killed in an automobile accident in Rockwood |
| C. B. Martin | May 4, 1969 | Killed in an automobile accident in Sparta |
| Paul L. Mooneyham, Sr | April 4, 1981 | Suffered a heart attack |
| Samuel F. Holcomb, Jr. | March 27, 1988 | Hit by a vehicle on I-40 |
| Michael Lloyd Rector | May 31, 1990 | Shot during an undercover investigation |
| Douglas Wayne Tripp | May 19, 1991 | Shot during a traffic stop |
| George Van Dorse Holcomb | January 26, 1992 | Hit by a tractor trailer while at the scene of an accident |
| James David Perry | October 3, 1999 | Suffered a heart attack while in foot pursuit |
| Bobby J. Maples | November 5, 1999 | Suffered a heart attack while assisting a motorist |
| Lynn McCarthy Ross | July 26, 2000 | Killed when a tractor trailer struck vehicle |
| John Gregory Mann | January 1, 2001 | Struck by a vehicle during a foot pursuit |
| John Robert Davis | March 17, 2001 | Killed in an automobile accident |
| Todd Michael Larkins | July 8, 2005 | Struck by a tractor trailer during a traffic stop |
| Calvin Wayne Jenks | January 6, 2007 | Shot during a traffic stop |
| Andrew Thomas Wall | May 7, 2011 | Killed in a motorcycle accident in Smyrna |
| Michael Wayne Slagle | January 25, 2013 | Killed in a vehicle crash and suffered heart attack. |
| Matthew Elias Gatti | May 6, 2019 | Killed in a vehicle crash while responding to a car fire in Nashville |
| Vince Arnold Mullins | January 28, 2022 | COVID-19 |
| Harold Lee Russell, II | August 23, 2022 | Killed in a helicopter accident on Athena Mountain |