Tennessee Highway Patrol
Encyclopedia
The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) is the highway patrol
agency 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. It is a component of the Department of Safety.
The THP provides assistance to motorists who need help. It investigates traffic accidents involving property damage
, personal injury
, or death. THP 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 it has responsibilities 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 handgun
s.
Force, which was patterned after the Texas Rangers
.
. As of September 2007, the THP was authorized to have up to 947 commissioned officers.
THP operates five inspection sites around the state. Its enforcement activities include inspections of commercial vehicle
s and driver
log
s, highway patrols with a focus on traffic violations by trucks, and weighing of commercial vehicles, both at permanent inspection station
s on Interstate highways and with portable scales.
THP Districts:
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
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 forrest 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 rather unique duty belt. Instead of the standard 2" wide duty belt worn by most agencies, the THP utilizes a 3" wide 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 .357 Glock Model 31. Less lethal weapons issued to troopers include OC Pepper Spray and the Expandable Straight Baton.
Highway patrol
A highway patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties.Duties of highway patrols or traffic...
agency for the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, responsible for enforcing all federal and state laws relating to traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
on the state's federal and state highways. It is a component of the Department of Safety.
The THP provides assistance to motorists who need help. It investigates traffic accidents involving property damage
Property damage
Property damage is damage to or the destruction of public or private property, caused either by a person who is not its owner or by natural phenomena. Property damage caused by persons is generally categorized by its cause: neglect , and intentional damage...
, personal injury
Personal injury
Personal injury is a legal term for an injury to the body, mind or emotions, as opposed to an injury to property. The term is most commonly used to refer to a type of tort lawsuit alleging that the plaintiff's injury has been caused by the negligence of another, but also arises in defamation...
, or death. THP works with prosecutors in the prosecution of cases in which the use of drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
or alcohol
Alcoholic beverage
An alcoholic beverage is a drink containing ethanol, commonly known as alcohol. Alcoholic beverages are divided into three general classes: beers, wines, and spirits. They are legally consumed in most countries, and over 100 countries have laws regulating their production, sale, and consumption...
contributed to accidents causing personal injury or fatalities. In addition to traffic
Traffic
Traffic on roads may consist of pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, streetcars and other conveyances, either singly or together, while using the public way for purposes of travel...
law enforcement it has responsibilities 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 handgun
Handgun
A handgun is a firearm designed to be held and operated by one hand. This characteristic differentiates handguns as a general class of firearms from long guns such as rifles and shotguns ....
s.
History
The THP was formed in 1929 as a component of the new Tennessee State PoliceState police
State police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national...
Force, which was patterned after the Texas Rangers
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
.
Organizational structure and personnel
The head of the THP is Colonel Tracy Trott, who has served with the organization since 1977. THP field operations are organized geographically into eight districts, each with a district headquarters. The organization also has a substation in each of the state's 95 countiesCounty (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
. As of September 2007, the THP was authorized to have up to 947 commissioned officers.
THP operates five inspection sites around the state. Its enforcement activities include inspections of commercial vehicle
Commercial vehicle
A commercial vehicle is a type of motor vehicle that may be used for transporting goods or passengers. The European Union defines "commercial motor vehicle" as any motorised road vehicle, which by its type of construction and equipment is designed for, and capable of transporting, whether for...
s and driver
Truck driver
A truck driver , is a person who earns a living as the driver of a truck, usually a semi truck, box truck, or dump truck.Truck drivers provide an essential service to...
log
Logbook
A logbook was originally a book for recording readings from the chip log, and is used to determine the distance a ship traveled within a certain amount of time...
s, highway patrols with a focus on traffic violations by trucks, and weighing of commercial vehicles, both at permanent inspection station
Weigh station
A weigh station is a checkpoint along a highway to inspect vehicular weights. Usually, trucks and commercial vehicles are subject to the inspection....
s on Interstate highways and with portable scales.
Administration & District Offices
Information on THP Administration and District Offices- Administrative Support
- Field Operations Bureau
THP Districts:
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
- THP Activity Statistics
Criminal Investigation Division
The Criminal Investigation Division 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
The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division inspects commercial vehicles and driver logs, weighs commercial vehicles, and patrols highways with a focus on truck traffic violations.- District Offices
- New Entrant Program
- A.C.E.S.
- Pupil Transportation
Special Operations
The Special Operations Unit consists of four specialized sections:- Aviation section, four pilots and one mechanic utilize five Jet Ranger helicopters and one Huey UH-1H
- Tactical/Dive(SCUBA)/Bomb Squad,
- K-9 section and
- Governors Task Force on Marijuana Eradication.
Uniform and equipment
The design of the shoulder patch of the THP is somewhat unique, as it is the only State Police shoulder patch to identify the admittance of the state into the Union; Tennessee is the 16th state in the Union, and the shoulder patch has a Roman numeral 16 upon 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 forrest 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 rather unique duty belt. Instead of the standard 2" wide duty belt worn by most agencies, the THP utilizes a 3" wide 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 .357 Glock Model 31. Less lethal weapons issued to troopers include OC Pepper Spray and the Expandable Straight Baton.
Fallen officers
Since the organization was established, 38 members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol have died in the line of duty.| Officer | Date of Death | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Trooper Charles Hash | |
Killed while operating a motorcycle in Memphis |
| Trooper Walter Jones | |
Killed while operating a motorcycle in Nashville |
| Trooper Lee Lovelace | |
Killed in a motorcycle accident |
| Trooper Clovis Cole | |
Killed in a motorcycle accident in Union City |
| Trooper Ed Kennedy | |
Killed in an automobile accident in Crab Orchard |
| Trooper Lindsey Smith | |
Killed by a gunshot wound in Tullahoma |
| Trooper Earl Hicks | |
Killed in a motorcycle accident in Knox County |
| Trooper Paul Summers | |
Killed in a motorcycle accident in Nashville |
| Trooper Carl Hickman | |
Killed in a motorcycle accident in Athens |
| Trooper Lewis Boone | |
Killed in a motorcycle accident in Pigeon Forge |
| Trooper Charles Gearhiser | |
Killed in a motorcycle accident in Dyer County |
| Trooper William Howard James | |
Killed in a motorcycle accident in Murfreesboro |
| Trooper James Williams | |
Killed in a motorcycle accident in Murfreesboro |
| Trooper William Crutcher | |
Killed in a motorcycle accident in Bordeaux |
| Staff Sergeant Fred Cole Woldrop | |
Killed in an automobile accident in Goodlettsville |
| Sergeant Oliver Devard Williamson | |
Killed during a tornado in Brownsville |
| Trooper Oscar Newton Morris | |
Killed by being struck by an automobile |
| Trooper Raymond Hendon | |
Killed in an automobile accident in Smyrna |
| Trooper Edward Jowers | |
Killed in an automobile accident in Memphis |
| Trooper Kenneth Moore | |
Suffered a heart attack |
| Trooper Joseph Emanuel Dillard | |
Killed in an automobile accident in Medina |
| Trooper William Gordon Barnes | |
Killed in an automobile accident |
| Trooper Michael Theodore Dafferner | |
Killed in an automobile accident in Knoxville |
| Lieutenant Samual W. Gibbs | |
Killed by a gunshot wound in Shelbyville |
| Trooper Eugene Brakebill | |
Suffered a heart attack while in pursuit of a car |
| Trooper Roy Alford Mynatt | |
Killed in an automobile accident in Rockwood |
| Trooper C. B. Martin | |
Killed in an automobile accident in Sparta |
| Trooper Samuel F. Holcomb, Jr. | |
Hit by a vehicle on I-40 |
| Officer Michael Lloyd Rector | |
Shot during an undercover investigation |
| Trooper Douglas Wayne Tripp | |
Shot during a traffic stop |
| Trooper George Van Dorse Holcomb | |
Hit by a tractor trailer while at the scene of an accident |
| Sergeant James David Perry | |
Suffered a heart attack while in foot pursuit |
| Trooper Bobby J. Maples | |
Suffered a heart attack while assisting a motorist |
| Trooper Lynn McCarthy Ross | |
Killed when a tractor trailer struck vehicle |
| Trooper John Gregory Mann | |
Struck by a vehicle during a foot pursuit |
| Trooper John Robert Davis | |
Killed in an automobile accident |
| Trooper Todd Michael Larkins | |
Struck by a tractor trailer during a traffic stop |
| Trooper Calvin Wayne Jenks | |
Shot during a traffic stop |
| Trooper Andrew Thomas Wall | |
Killed in a motorcycle accident in Smyrna |
See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in Tennessee
- State policeState policeState police are a type of sub-national territorial police force, particularly in Australia and the United States. Some other countries have analogous police forces, such as the provincial police in some Canadian provinces, while in other places, the same responsibilities are held by national...
- State patrol
- Highway patrolHighway patrolA highway patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties.Duties of highway patrols or traffic...