IN THIS WEEK'S EDITION:

The last bi-monthly meeting in 2024 will be held at the Embassy Suites Cool Springs at 820 Crescent Centre Drive, Franklin, TN 37067.

As we prepare for our upcoming December meeting, we kindly remind all members to register online in advance whether you attend in person or live stream. If you need assistance, you can contact the TACP Staff to register for the meeting.

Meeting Registration

There are a few remaining seats for this training and TACP members can apply for the special rate.

Use promo code: TACP for a discounted rate of $189/student!

The Tennessee Highway Patrol is proud to announce the upcoming Women in Law Enforcement Conference, taking place from April 14-16, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. This empowering event is designed to bring together women from all ranks and roles in law enforcement to celebrate their contributions, provide professional development, and address challenges specific to women in the field.

For anyone interested in attending, registration is open to all women in law enforcement across Tennessee and beyond. Join us in Nashville this April to celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of women in the field and to forge a stronger future together.

For more information on this event, please contact the Tennessee Highway Patrol’s Women in Law Enforcement Conference team at wlec.info@tn.gov or (615) 232-2901.

Women in Law Enforcement Conference Registration

Limited to the first 100 registrants.

TN-M Gangs & Guns Registration

Ray H. Commers of Winchester, TN, departed this life on Saturday, November 23, 2024, at Elk River Health and Nursing Center in Winchester following an extended illness. Chief Commers served his country in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War from 1948 - 1952 and was honorably discharged receiving the Korean Service Medal and China Service Medal. He began his law enforcement career as a Winchester Patrolman. He was promoted in 1965 as the Winchester Chief of Police until his retirement in 1998, ending a 37-year career. During his time as Police Chief, he was one of the founding chiefs of the TN Association of Chiefs of Police. 

Visitation will be held from 5:00-8:00 P.M. Tuesday evening, November 26, in the Chapel of Grant Funeral Services.

Services for Chief Commers will be conducted at 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, November 27, in the Chapel of Grant Funeral Services with Bro. Dwight Duckworth, officiating.

Obituary

The Tennessee Titans have teamed up with the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) to provide special ticket pricing to all law enforcement personnel, first responders, friends, family and the general public on multiple games.

Please join the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, TN on:

Sunday, December 15 vs Cincinnati Bengals
Order Online: Tennessee Titans NLEOMF Link
Enter pass code: NLEOMF to receive the special offer.

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The Nashville Predators are proud to partner with the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, the Tennessee Association of Chiefs of Police and the Nashville Sheriffs Association for the annual Law Enforcement Night as the Predators take on the New York Rangers on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at 7:00 PM. Each ticket purchased comes with a commemorative challenge coin and a donation to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

Order Online: Nashville Predators NLEOMF Link

We are pleased to announce an additional $800 dollar retention bonus for all deputies and police officers who successfully completed an assignment as a School Resource Officer (“SRO”) in the 2023-2024 academic school year and who are currently still serving your agency as an SRO. This unprecedented additional bonus for SROs in Tennessee was allocated through the generosity of Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly. The bonus complements the recruitment bonus previously allocated for new officers in Tennessee by specifically recognizing the hard work, sacrifice, and dedication of our state’s current local law enforcement personnel. The bonus is available to SROs in addition to the bonus salary supplement recently distributed to qualifying officers.

Included with this email you will find a copy of the 2024 SRO Voucher, the SRO Roster Request forms, and additional information about how to submit your agency’s request for the additional SRO bonus payment electronically.

To be eligible for these additional funds, officers must meet the following criteria:

1. Current full-time law enforcement officer assigned currently as an SRO with your agency;

2. Completed an assignment as an SRO in the 2023-2024 academic year; and

3. Completed the initial forty (40) hour SRO training for school policing as required by T.C.A. § 49-6-4217 if a new SRO for the 2023-2024 academic year or completed sixteen (16) hours of SRO in-service training.

Payments will be processed in the same manner as the annual salary supplement. A lump sum will be sent to the agency, and the agency is then responsible for disbursing the funds to the officers. 

The 2024 SRO Voucher and SRO Roster Request forms must be submitted in Acadis using the specified online workflow process. This is similar to the process your agency used to submit the 2023 salary supplement and 2024 salary supplement bonus requests. 

Our goal is to have all paperwork submitted to POST by Monday, December 2, 2024, and all funds submitted for disbursement to local law enforcement by the close of the calendar year. This grant has a hard deadline of Tuesday, December 31, 2024. NO SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER DECEMBER 31st.

Agencies may submit their requests beginning November 1, 2024, and those requests will be processed for payment in the order in which they are received. Agencies should maintain training files for their qualifying SROs in the event an audit is necessary.

Should you have any questions or need the SRO forms, please contact us at (615) 741-4461or post.grants@tn.gov. 

As leaders in law enforcement, our ongoing commitment to professional development is essential in adapting to the ever-changing landscape of public safety. We are conducting a comprehensive training survey to ensure that our training meetings are as effective and relevant as possible.

Your participation is crucial in identifying the most critical areas for future development and expertise. By providing your valuable input, we can tailor our training to equip leaders to better meet current and emerging challenges. Together, we can strengthen our communities through informed and effective policing.

TACP Training Survey

Knoxville Police Department is hiring a Planning and Grant Manager that will be responsible for working with the Chief of Police to coordinate and plan future department needs and initiate the development of programs; identify federal and state grant funding to create or continue programs and to procure equipment to enhance the operations of the Knoxville Police Department. With an understanding of law enforcement, conduct research, prepare reports and deliver presentations on behalf of the police department in addition to a variety of administrative duties as assigned. 

Job Announcement

Entry Level Salary: $58,167

Older Driver Safety Awareness Week

Older Driver Safety Awareness Week is December 2-6, 2024. Older drivers face unique safety concerns including vision, reflexes, and physical fitness.

Facts:

Fatal traffic crashes involving older drivers 65+ years old increased by 4.7 percent from 7,515 in 2021 to 7,870 in 2022. 

In 2022 the number of fatalities in traffic crashes involving older drivers was the highest since NHTSA began tracking in 1975.