Tennessee Highway Patrol Announces Top Level Personnel Changes

NASHVILLE –- Department of Safety and Homeland Security Commissioner Bill Gibbons and Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) Colonel Tracy Trott on Thursday announced personnel changes to the Command Staff.

 

Effective June 30, 2011, Major John Savage, who is assigned to the Administrative Support Bureau, will retire from the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Major Savage began his career in 1977 as a Trooper in Coffee County in the Chattanooga District. He served as a Sergeant in McMinn and Hamilton Counties, Captain and Administrative Lieutenant in the Chattanooga District, Assistant Director of the Training Division, and Commander of the Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT). Savage previously held the position of Captain/Director of the Internal Affairs Division, where he served until his promotion to Major in 2007. Savage graduated from the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command in 1989.

 

“Major Savage is a person of great honesty, integrity, and is a tireless worker. He has played a large role in rebuilding the THP. He will be missed by all of the THP leadership. He if one of Tennessee’ finest and we wish him well in his retirement from public service,” said Colonel Trott.

 

Effective June 1, 2011, Captain Phil Hardin will be promoted to the rank of Major assigned to the Administrative Support Bureau. Hardin has served as Captain of Emergency and Support Services since 2008, and has a great deal of experience in the areas supervised by the Support Services Bureau. Hardin started his career in the Tennessee Highway Patrol in 1977 as a Trooper assigned to the Fall Branch District, where he served for 10 years before moving to the THP Special Operations Unit. He was promoted to Sergeant in Hawkins and Grainger Counties, and then reassigned as a supervisor at the THP Training Center. Hardin would later become Lieutenant and Assistant Director of the THP Training Center and Head of the Driver Improvement, Ignition Interlock, and Crash Analysis Sections. In 2006 he was promoted to Captain of the Executive Security Section with the primary responsibility of protection and transportation of the First Family. As Major, Hardin will continue to retain direct supervision over the THP’s Executive Security and Aviation Units. He is a licensed pilot and an FAA certified and licensed flight instructor. Hardin earned an associate degree in criminal justice from Walters State Community College.

 

“I am proud that Major Hardin is joining the THP’s Command Staff. His expertise and knowledge of the Highway Patrol’s specialized units is invaluable. Major Hardin brings a wealth of leadership to this role and will help the entire Department with challenges ahead,” said Commissioner Gibbons.

 

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