Highway patrol's chief is forced out

Collierville lawmaker plans investigation of cronyism

By Richard Locker, The Commercial Appeal

December 7, 2005

NASHVILLE -- The commander of the Tennessee Highway Patrol was forced to resign Tuesday, and state Sen. Mark Norris of Collierville announced plans to investigate reports of cronyism.

State Safety Commissioner Fred Phillips asked for the resignation of Col. Lynn Pitts, a 31-year highway patrol veteran and its chief uniformed officer since early 2003. The request came after Pitts cast the winning $1,700 bid in a state auction last week on a fishing boat and motor his agency had confiscated.

Tennessee law prohibits any state, city or county officer or employee "directly or indirectly involved in the confiscation" of property "to buy or offer to buy any of the property to be sold."

Facing an emerging political crisis in his administration, Gov. Phil Bredesen said Tuesday more changes are coming in the Department of Safety -- which contains the highway patrol -- and that he wants to "change the culture" of the agency. He told the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to "follow this wherever it goes."

The TBI is to deliver to the governor Thursday a report detailing preliminary findings that 48 of the highway patrol's 855 uniformed officers had criminal charges in their backgrounds. The initial findings resulted from background checks Bredesen ordered last week.

He ordered the screening after a series of disclosures by The Tennessean newspaper of political favoritism in the agency, including possible links between campaign contributions and promotions.

Norris, a Republican lawmaker, announced Tuesday the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee he chairs will open a review of the agency and the allegations with a hearing next Tuesday.

"We're working to gather information for an independent airing. I'm concerned about the underlying facts that led to these revelations and the mindset of those who could allow this to happen," Norris said.

"There are those who believe the culture has grown much worse in the last three years than it ever was before."

The Associated Press contributed to this story.