Department news
MPD Officer Awarded MADD Officer of the Year 2012
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Pictured from left are MADD Executive Director Flint Clouse, MPD Officer Kenneth White and Murfreesboro Chief of Police Glenn Chrisman.
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Murfreesboro Police Officer Kenneth White was awarded the Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Tennessee Officer of the Year. Officer White accepted the award Nov. 18 at the MADD Law Enforcement and Volunteer recognition program held in the Shamblin Theatre on the campus of Lipscomb University.
Officer White is a member of the Murfreesboro Police Alcohol Countermeasures Team (MPACT), a three-officer unit whose purpose is to intensively enforce alcohol violations, especially Driving Under the Influence.
So far in 2012, Officer White has placed over 150 DUI offenders in jail. Ofc. White has been a member of the “MADD 100 Club” since 2005 for consistently arresting over 100 DUI offenders each year. He was recently awarded the MADD Hero Award for high rates of DUI arrests and convictions at the Governors Highway Safety Lifesavers Conference.
Officer White also serves on victim impact panels that work to restore and support those who have been impacted by DUI offenders.
“The Department is proud of Officer White’s recognition," Chief of Police Glenn Chrisman said, "as he has relentlessly worked to make Murfreesboro safer by taking impaired drivers off our streets.
"There is no doubt that his contributions have made an impact on offenders and victims alike," he continued. "We are thankful for his efforts as well as those from the other officers assigned to MPACT.
"We congratulate Officer White and encourage him to continue in his hard work,” he said.
MPD 2012 Annual Awards Ceremony
The Murfreesboro Police Department held its annual awards ceremony this week recognizing officers and civilians for their service. The Meritorious Service Medal, 20 Year Service Award, the Citizen Community Service Award and the Citizen Support Award were given to employees and citizens. A retirement reception for Detective Bill Heringlake was also held at the ceremony.
On July 19, 2012 Sergeant Jim Wyatt responded to an unknown problem at a motel on Chaffin Place. Arriving only minutes after the call was dispatched, Wyatt quickly discovered an unresponsive female with no pulse or breath. Sgt. Wyatt directed a bystander to begin rescue breathing while Wyatt began chest compressions on the victim. Murfreesboro Fire and Rescue as well as Rutherford County EMS arrived, began advanced life saving measures and transported the victim to the hospital. The victim made a full recovery and was released from the hospital. Without the quick response and immediate actions of Sgt. Wyatt, it is unlikely the victim would have survived the cardiac arrest. The Awards Committee and Chief of Police Glenn Chrisman agreed with the recommendation of Sgt. Wyatt’s supervisor to award him with the Meritorious Service Medal.
Detective Phillip Loyd, Officer Terry Spence, Officer Amy Dean, Captain Alan Smith, Sergeant Shawn Murphy, and Sergeant Sam Campbell were awarded with 20 Year Service Awards.
Murfreesboro City Schools teacher Mrs. Kelly Jones was awarded the Citizen Community Service Award for starting the “Cards for Cops” program. Jones’ 5th grade students at Mitchell-Neilson School began making birthday cards for Murfreesboro Police Department employees in 2009. Each year, on an employee’s birthday, they receive a packet full of birthday cards individually made by the students. Because of Mrs. Jones’ service to the Police Department and to City Schools, she was awarded the Community Service Award.
Detective Bill Heringlake and colleagues celebrated his 26 year career at the Murfreesboro Police Department. In honor of his retirement, Heringlake was presented with the firearm he carried, badge, and a retirement plaque.
In a separate ceremony, Mrs. Kara Redden was awarded the Citizen Support Award for her role in assisting officers responding to a dangerous crime in progress. Redden provided responding officers with timely information that eventually led officers to apprehend two violent criminals.
Chief of Police Glenn Chrisman stated: “We are proud of these officers and their contributions to the Police Department and the City of Murfreesboro over the last 20 years. We are thankful for their sacrifices and those of their family, whose support is critical to the success of the officers. Sergeant Wyatt’s actions saved the life of a resident of this city and we are grateful for his service. We also appreciate the service of Mrs. Jones and her students for recognizing the birthdays of Murfreesboro Police Department employees as well as the support of Mrs. Redden in assisting officers in bringing two dangerous criminals to justice. Everyone honored today has made a difference in the lives of others and we thank them for that.”
Det. Sergeant Mike Taylor Graduates from National Forensic Academy
The Murfreesboro Police Department congratulates Detective Sergeant Mike Taylor on the successful completion of the National Forensic Academy on Friday, November 16, 2012.
The National Forensic Academy is an intensive training program, funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, designed to meet the needs of law enforcement agencies in evidence identification, collection, and preservation.
During the 10-week program, Sergeant Taylor participated in classroom instruction, laboratory activities, and field practicums in courses designed to improve a crime scene investigator’s ability to process and recover evidence found at crime scenes. Taylor participated in over 400 hours of training on related topics including: Bloodstain pattern analysis; Bombs, booby traps and threats at crime scenes; Crime scene management; DNA; Firearms and tool mark identification; Footwear and tire impressions; Forensic fire investigation; Latent fingerprint processing; Trace evidence recovery; Manners of death; Wound pattern interpretation; Crime scene photography, Biosaftey, Auto sketch computer drawing, Forensic Anthropology, Time since Death, Exhuming human remains, Post blast Investigation, Bone scatter interpretation; and Forensic Entomology, Ondontology, and Osteology.
Picture: (Left to Right) LEIC Executive Director Don Green,
Det. Sgt. Mike Taylor, Dr. William M. Bass
Towing/Booting Notice
In recent weeks, local towing, booting and wrecker service practices have been the subject of several police reports and criminal investigations. The Murfreesboro Police Department recently sent a letter to over 200 businesses in an effort to ensure awareness of, and compliance with, existing Tennessee laws governing the removal of vehicles from private property.
Tennessee state law requires a written authorization for the towing or storage of any motor vehicle and is clear on who has the authority to have a vehicle removed from private property.
“A law enforcement officer with appropriate jurisdiction, or from the owner of the vehicle, or from the owner, or the authorized agent of the owner, of the private property from which the vehicle is to be towed,” TCA Section 55-16-112 states.
No other person has the authority to remove a vehicle from private property. In 2000, the Tennessee Attorney General was specifically asked whether a property manager or similarly situated person, or a lessee, could confer the authorization. His answer was no. The law was subsequently amended to add the reference to “the authorized agent of the owner.” This history indicates that an owner can designate a property manager to perform the tow authorization function but that the owner is limited to selecting one agent for this purpose, and that the person from whom the authorization is received (“the authorized agent”) cannot be the same as the person who is receiving the authorization (the “towing firm”). The statute is also clear that the owner (or the owner’s agent) must specifically authorize each tow.
These statutory requirements - for authorization by the owner or the owner’s agent on an individualized basis and the documentation necessary before towing – apply even if the vehicle is illegally parked.
“It is the goal of the Murfreesboro Police Department to ensure the law regarding towing vehicles is followed," Murfreesoro Police Chief Glenn Chrisman said. "We are forwarding this information to local companies so as to ensure every company engaged in this type of business is informed on the law and that deviance from the state law may result in criminal charges.”
For more information regarding towing, contact Sgt. Sam Campbell at 615-848-3260.
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