Retreat has had THP officers on patrol

Some ask why taxpayers foot bill when conference has no legal ties to state

By BONNA de la CRUZ, Staff Writer Tennessean.com
November 17, 2005

For at least the past two years, a conference organized by House Speaker Pro Tem Lois DeBerry — but with no other legal ties to the state or legislature — has had its security provided by on-duty Tennessee Highway Patrol officers.

In a change, troopers going to this year's Legislative Retreat and Training Conference, which begins today at Paris Landing State Park, will have to go on their own time. The THP's top uniformed officer, Col. Lynn Pitts, made that decision, said Melissa McDonald, spokeswoman for the state Safety Department.

In 2003 and 2004, the state paid approximately $22,000 to cover pay, as well as overtime, lodging, mileage and per diem allowances for troopers attending the event, McDonald said.

Last year, at least a dozen troopers manned the four-day gathering held in Chattanooga, according to their pay records, the retreat and the Safety Department. The year before, nine Highway Patrol men and women made up the security force for the conference at Paris Landing.

In addition to providing a security presence, the duties of the troopers ranged from monitoring the teens who attended to taking up tickets before meals, DeBerry said. They did not wear their uniforms while at the retreat, she said.

Pitts said no request was made by the retreat for the THP to provide security this year. DeBerry, who defended the need for trooper protection during previous conferences, did not explain why. The retreat's attorney, Richard Manson, said in an e-mail that he was out of town attending meetings and was unavailable.

The minority conference is the pet project of the legislature's Black Caucus. The caucus and the conference have been the subject of statewide scrutiny in recent months after a white Eaststate lawmaker likened the caucus to the Ku Klux Klan and raised questions about disclosure of the finances of both the caucus and the retreat.

Meanwhile, the THP also has been under pressure in recent months after disclosures that the agency gave small gold badges and trooper ID cards to political donors and friends of the powerful, and that it has sometimes given rides to legislators. A Tennessean story on Sunday showed that campaign donations and references from donors often precede promotions for THP officers.

The state senator who heads the Senate Transportation Committee criticized the troopers' assignments to the retreat, saying he wants answers from Safety Commissioner Fred Phillips on why troopers were sent in past years.

"I can't imagine any circumstance where that kind of security would be needed for such an event, let alone 12 troopers," said Sen. Mark Norris, R-Collierville. His committee oversees the Safety Department, the parent agency of the THP.

"Whose call is it? Who makes these assignments? … Presumably, you have all these troopers at Paris Landing State Park and not on the highways protecting the rest of the taxpayers or otherwise doing their duties. It defies logic to me," Norris said.

The THP has nearly 1,000 uniformed officers spread out across the state. The retreat had about 1,000 attendees last year and expects to draw about 2,000 this year.

DeBerry, D-Memphis, defended having the troopers there.

"You have to always have some security around. If kids get hurt or get in a fight, you have to have security," DeBerry said.

In addition, troopers take up meal tickets as conference participants file into banquet halls for meals, she said.

"We try to make sure people that come into the meals have tickets. They have name badges on. … They make sure people coming in are registered participants. And making sure everything is calm, and there's no trouble," DeBerry said.

Pitts had a different explanation.

"We have a responsibility for legislative security, and that responsibility extends to some events that are held away from (Capitol) Hill," Pitts said in an e-mail sent through McDonald. "If we are asked to staff an event for security purposes, we will consider that request."

Pitts was unaware of any other similar conferences that the state protects with troopers, according to McDonald.

Other gatherings of legislators at state parks have not garnered THP protection. In September, the House Democratic Caucus met at Montgomery Bell State Park and Republicans at Cumberland Mountain State Park with no extra security.

Already, six commissioned officers are assigned to protect visitors at Paris Landing State Park, including park rangers and the park manager, said Dana Coleman, spokeswoman for state parks.

No request was made by retreat organizers for special security, and the park is well-accustomed to protecting large conferences, Coleman said.

All troopers who worked security for the retreat were African-American.

Pitts said letters from retreat organizers requesting security have sometimes named troopers, but only black troopers, for consideration for the assignment. At the same time, those who have attended volunteered for the assignment or expressed an interest.

DeBerry said that if only black troopers were named in requests to the THP, it was a mistake.

The legislative retreat draws lawmakers, ministers, community activists and youth from kindergarten through college.

Experts are brought in to talk about health care and education, and there is a mock legislature for the young people.

Participants also help the legislature's Black Caucus shape its agenda.

"I think security is needed any time you have a statewide conference of this magnitude," said Rep. Edith Langster, D-Nashville, a member of the Black Caucus and a former police officer. "It's just like in the Legislative Plaza or your church parking lot, where a lot of them have security now."

Last year's retreat, held in Chattanooga, was manned by officers from Middle and West Tennessee. Two years ago, at Paris Landing in West Tennessee, all but one trooper was from the Midstate, according to state records.

McDonald said THP had no control over assigning troopers closer to the event because officers anywhere in the state can volunteer.

Capt. Danny Wilson, who has organized the security force, would not comment, referring questions to McDonald. Capt. Bobby Trotter, who also has attended and works security at the Capitol, would not comment, saying he had to check with a superior.

Pay records indicate that some troopers filed overtime to work the conference and then worked a short week the following week.

The retreat runs from Thursday to Sunday. Some troopers, however, appeared to start their duties the day before, making it a five-day assignment, according to their pay records.

In one case last year, Trooper Vester Jones Jr. from Madison County filed three hours the day before the retreat started for "getting vehicle and equipment ready for special assignment," according to his time sheets.