Gov. Phil Bredesen on Monday released a report he commissioned detailing recommended changes to the Department of Safety, saying it is "part of a sweeping review of policies and practices with a goal of ending decades of politics in the Tennessee Highway Patrol."

Gov. Bredesen also announced his intent to implement three broad recommendations based on the report and proposed by interim Commissioner of Safety Gerald Nicely, who joined the governor for the announcement.

“The changes we make today are another step toward eliminating the decades old influence of politics in the Highway Patrol and to ensure that the leadership and management of the Department of Safety reflects the dedication and professionalism of the men and women in uniform who keep our highways safe and secure,” Bredesen said.

He commissioned the report by New York-based Kroll Inc. last December following his acceptance of the resignations of the department’s top three managers. The resignations came after background checks by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation found more than three dozen troopers and support staff had criminal or driving violation histories.

The Kroll consulting firm has played key roles in reforming other large safety organizations across the country, including the Los Angeles and Detroit police departments and the Pennsylvania state police, officials said.

Commissioner Nicely’s recommendations to the governor, which were based on his analysis of the Kroll report, call for:

· The creation of a fair and transparent hiring and promotion process. This will include the development of statewide promotional registers with all test scores published, as well as a published eligibility register for hiring and thorough background checks of new recruits.

· The institution of nationally-recognized professional standards. This will include the establishment of a Bureau of Professional Standards, as well as placing the THP once again under the authority of the POST Commission.

· The improvement and streamlining of all other processes within the department’s management. This will include moving Title & Registration to the Revenue Department, as well as moving the POST Commission and law enforcement training to the Department of Commerce and Insurance.

“I believe we’ve made great progress over these past three months in reforming both the management and the internal structures of the Tennessee Highway Patrol,” Gov. Bredesen said. “With the announcement today of these changes, we move an important step closer to our goal.”

Here is the link to the full report
http://www.tennessee.gov/safety/kroll.pdf