A dramatic confrontation between law enforcement officers in Tennessee has been revealed, after a Metro Nashville police officer attempted to pull over a state trooper who was escorting a senior politician.
Traffic Stop Escalates Into Physical Confrontation
The incident occurred in October, when an officer with the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) signalled for a black SUV to pull over, alleging it was speeding in a 55mph zone. Unbeknownst to the officer, the vehicle was being driven by a Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) trooper who was providing a security escort for State House Speaker Cameron Sexton.
According to reports, the police car pursued the SUV in the left lane before the trooper eventually complied with instructions to stop. Radio transmissions indicated the SUV had initially refused to stop. Upon exiting his vehicle, the Metro officer aggressively yelled at the trooper to "get over here!" The trooper identified himself, shouting back, "I'm highway patrol!"
The situation quickly turned physical. The Metro officer pushed the trooper and retorted, "I don't care who you are!" The trooper responded, "Get your freakin' hands off me." The Metro officer then threatened to arrest the trooper, who subsequently showed his badge and revealed he was transporting the House Speaker.
Claims and Counterclaims Over Speed and Protocol
The Metro officer defended his actions, stating, "If you're going to run 85mph in a 55mph zone, you're going to have to yield to police. I don't care who you are." This elicited a fiery response from the trooper, who asserted, "I am the police!" The trooper explained he had activated his blue lights, provided his badge number, and insisted, "I got business to take care of. We got places to go." The Metro officer eventually retreated to his car after saying, "We're going to see about that, my friend."
Following the altercation, Sexton's chief of staff, Kevin Johnson, filed a formal Citizen Complaint Report against the Metro officer. The Speaker's office issued a statement criticising the officer's conduct, labelling him as "overzealous" and "overly aggressive." They maintained that no traffic laws were broken prior to the stop and argued the officer provoked the reaction by placing his hands on the trooper.
The statement praised the THP trooper's "restraint" and added, "In the end cooler heads prevailed. We commend THP for their professionalism and dedication to protect and serve."
Internal Investigation Backs Officer's Actions
Despite the complaint, an internal investigation conducted by the Metro Nashville Police Department concluded that the officer acted reasonably and did not violate any departmental policies or rules. Both law enforcement agencies sought to downplay the rift publicly.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol stated, "The Tennessee Highway Patrol maintains a collaborative working relationship with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department built on mutual respect and shared professionalism, and we’re proud of the work our agencies accomplish together to keep Tennesseans safe."
Commenting on the wider protocol, Tennessee Fraternal Order of Police President Scottie Delashmit noted that police vehicles on dignitary detail must still obey posted speed limits unless using emergency lights and sirens.
