Safety commissioner halts promotions for THP officers

Safety Commissioner Fred Phillips made the move on Monday, a day after The Tennessean questioned the promotions of Tennessee Highway Patrol Sgts. Tansil Phillips, 55, and Timothy Holloway, 39.

The commissioner, who had recommended last week that the men be promoted, also said he would review the THP’s promotions process, as well as the DUI case and the two THP sergeants’ court testimony that helped win its dismissal.

Commissioner Phillips pointed out that it was just Monday that he learned one of the sergeants in question had been forced out of the Highway Patrol in 1989 for lying to an internal investigator.

“Considering this, I want to take a look and make sure there’s not something else that’s going to blindside me or the governor’s office or anyone else,” said the commissioner, who’s not related to Sgt. Tansil Phillips.

The commissioner’s recommendations came just three days after Gov. Phil Bredesen told the department to stop issuing honorary captain ID cards and badges.

The badges and cards were given to political insiders, campaign donors and celebrities and were essentially identical to those carried by state troopers.

Bredesen ordered an end to the practice Aug. 8 after The Tennessean reported that 360 people had been issued honorary captainships dating from 2002. Nineteen current or former Bredesen staffers or appointees were among the group.

DUI charges against honorary captain Ricky J. McWilliams were dismissed May 27 after the THP sergeants testified on McWilliams’ behalf.

McWilliams, 31, is the grandson of longtime Democratic insider Gladys Crain, chairwoman of Bredesen’s 2002 campaign in Lauderdale County.

According to a Highway Patrol incident report, McWilliams was stopped Jan. 14 in Lauderdale County after his vehicle was seen swerving. His blood-alcohol test registered 0.16 — twice the legal limit, according to court testimony.

During the May hearing, McWilliams’ attorney called Tansil Phillips and Holloway to rebut the testimony of the trooper who made the DUI stop. The main focus of the defense was to show the ticket was improper because the stop was made on private property.

After the charges were dismissed, a local district attorney resurrected the case and a grand jury indicted McWilliams in June after hearing the evidence.

Tansil Phillips and Holloway filed applications for promotions to lieutenant last spring, and both listed members of the McWilliams’ family as job references on their applications, records show.

When asked about the recent incidents, Holloway referred all questions to the department’s spokeswoman, and Sgt. Phillips could not be reached for comment.

Bredesen was not available Monday for comment, but his office said he was leaving the review up to Phillips, calling it a personnel matter.