Speedy Capture of Prison Escapee Showcases Interdiction Plus
Thursday, October 29, 2009 | 02:14am
Information Sharing Between Agencies Proves Effective
NASHVILLE --- On Monday, October 26, 2009, Tennessee State Troopers arrested a prison escapee in Knox County utilizing resources of the THP Interdiction Plus Team. The program’s success is based on information-sharing from federal, state and local partners to road interdiction teams.
Brian Calvin Lee, 31, escaped Monday in a stolen vehicle from work detail at a church in Anderson County. He was captured by THP Interdiction Plus Trooper Greg Roberts in South Knoxville following a brief vehicle and foot pursuit that ended on Trotter Avenue. Lee is a convicted felon serving an eight-year sentence at the Morgan County Correctional Complex for aggravated burglary, robbery and arson.
“The Knoxville District Interdiction Plus Team, working with partners from the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Appalachia H.I.D.T.A., Tennessee Department of Correction, Knoxville Police Department, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Department, quickly gathered actionable information Monday,” said THP Lieutenant David McGill. “This information sharing allowed team members to save valuable time in the capture of the escapee.”
“The amount of time from the first call received by THP to the arrest of the escapee was just 58 minutes,” said Tennessee Department of Correction Special Agent Richard Metcalfe.”
Interdiction Plus is a partnership between THP and federal, state and local law enforcement, focused on identifying, arresting and prosecuting the most serious criminals who travel across the state of Tennessee. The initiative began in the fall of 2007 in partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office in the eastern district of Tennessee and has expanded to all eight THP districts across the state.
Interdiction Plus has involved many successful arrests and vital intelligence gathering shared among law enforcement partners, including the arrests of fugitives and homicide suspects, arrests and seizures for human trafficking, drug and currency seizures, as well as arrests for organized document fraud and international counterfeiting. More than 275 officers from over 100 Tennessee local law enforcement agencies have received hands-on training to detect drug trafficking concealment methods by major criminals and terrorists.
The Tennessee Department of Safety’s mission is (www.TN.Gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.