Gov. Bill Lee (R) is once again touting the benefits of becoming a law enforcement officer in Tennessee as he attempts to recruit out-of-staters to join the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
“Law enforcement officers from across the country recognize that there’s no better place to work, live and raise a family than Tennessee,” Lee said in statement. “Over the past two years, we’ve recruited a record number of troopers to Tennessee’s ranks, and we continue to welcome men and women nationwide to join the Tennessee Highway Patrol.”
“Tennesseans enjoy the lowest state and local tax burden per capita in the country,” the statement continues.
Lee says that the Tennessee Highway Patrol offers:
- Full benefits package
- A self-issued vehicle rather than a shared vehicle program
- Complimentary uniforms and equipment provided
- All training academy fees paid for by the department
Lee’s office released a recruitment video along with the statement, in which Lee can be seen working out with Tennessee Highway Patrol cadets.
The video contains testimonials from several of the cadets.
“Coming to the Highway Patrol opened up numerous doors for me,” one fo the cadets said. “The amount of equipment, the amount of training, the amount of supplies that they give you. If you want to know that you’re the best or among the best, then I would tell you to come to the Highway Patrol. I would lay down and die for any one of my brothers that’s in lateral class with me. Everybody here is one big family.”
“If you’re wanting to find out what you’re capable of, wanting to push your limits, then I would encourage you to try out for THP,” said another cadet.
“We hope you’ll join us,” Lee said at the end of the video. “Be part of the family. Be part of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
This is not the first time Lee has attempted to recruit troopers from out of state, including during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, where he noted that troopers would not be forced by the state to make “personal health decisions,” referencing the COVID-19 vaccine.
“There are many highly skilled law enforcement personnel who want to work in a state that doesn’t get in the middle of personal health decisions yet also provides for a wonderful quality of life,” Lee said in a 2021 recruiting effort. “As we’ve ramped up efforts to get more state troopers on the road, we want these men and women to consider Tennessee and we will assist with their relocation expenses.”
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Pete D’Abrosca is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Pete on Twitter.
He may need the extra officers for “Billy’s Really Big Show” coming up later this month, August 21.
Why do we need more state troopers on the road? That means more victimless crime revenue tickets. We already have local highway pirates.
Governor Bill Lee is making the police state bigger in Tennessee.
Good. He is going to need all he can get for the “Really Big Show” coming up at the capitol.
Would it be possible to trade Mr. Lee for an out of state officer? Tennessee would come out way ahead on that trade.