Second THP supervisor named in inquiry

[BlueJessamine]

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090730/NEWS0201/907300327/Second+THP+supervisor+named+in+inquiry

A second Tennessee Highway Patrol supervisor promoted since Gov. Phil Bredesen's administration vowed to clean up the agency has been named as a suspect in connection with a criminal investigation into misuse of funds.

Assistant special agent in charge David Brown was placed on administrative leave with pay Friday pending an investigation into misuse of funds in the East Tennessee Criminal Investigations Division.

Brown's boss, special agent in charge Billy Grooms, resigned Friday to avoid being fired. The two men are the only named targets of the investigation into the activity in the East Tennessee office, said spokesman Mike Browning.

Brown, 56, is a 23-year veteran of the department. Browning said he was not aware earlier this week that Brown was a suspect when he released information about the investigation.

snip

Scandals cleared out much of the leadership of the patrol in 2005 and 2006. At the time, Gov. Phil Bredesen vowed to clean up the agency and the department reorganized certain divisions including the criminal investigations division to make it more accountable within the hierarchy of the patrol.