By ERIK SCHELZIG
Associated Press Writer
NASHVILLE, Tenn.- The top two officials in Tennessee’s Department of Safety stepped down Friday, a day after an investigation found 41 troopers and staff had criminal backgrounds or past driving violations.
Gov. Phil Bredesen announced Friday that Safety Commissioner Fred Phillips would resign immediately and Deputy Commissioner Tom Moore would retire.
“I think he was almost mortified” by the results of the background checks, Bredesen said after meeting with Phillips. Transportation Commissioner Jerry Nicely will serve as Phillips’ temporary replacement.
The Highway Patrol, overseen by the Department of Safety, has been under fire for allegations of political favoritism and corruption. That prompted Bredesen last week to order background checks of all 855 commissioned officers.
The background checks found 41 employees with past charges, including aggravated assault, drunken driving and reckless endangerment. Bredesen has asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations to review those cases and recommend the appropriate action.
“Some of them will be nothing, and we will say ‘go and sin no more,’” the governor said. “Others will be more serious, and they’ll require some sort of action.”
Earlier this week, the commander of the Highway Patrol, Col. Lynn Pitts, was forced to resign after he allegedly violated state law by trying to purchase a boat that had been seized by troopers and put up for sale as surplus state property.