TDOS/THP Promotes Seven Officers

Nashville, Tennessee — The Tennessee Department of Safety today announced the promotions of nine dedicated members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol, including seven officers.  The promotion ceremony was held Friday, November 16, 2007, at 10:00 a.m., at the THP Training Center, located at 275 Stewarts Ferry Pike in Nashville.

The Command Staff presented rank advancements to the following members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol:

Lieutenant William “Butch” Avera started his career in law enforcement in 1978 as a military police officer.  After he was discharged, he worked for the Cannon County Sheriff’s Department and the Woodbury Police Department.  In July, 1983, Lt. Avera joined the Tennessee Highway Patrol and was assigned to the Cookeville District.  He was promoted to Midnight Shift Sergeant and then later assigned to Smith, DeKalb, Macon and Trousdale Counties.  Lt. Avera was recognized as one of Tennessee’s Top Ten Troopers in 1987, 1989, 1990 and 1992.  Lt. Avera and his wife, Julia, live in Lafayette, TN.  He has three children and three grandchildren.

Sergeant Michael Edwards began his career with the Highway Patrol in 1998 in Williamson County in Nashville, District Three, where he served until December 2000.  Edwards transferred to Lawrence County in the Lawrenceburg District in April, 2004, until his promotion to Sergeant in September, 2007.  Effective September 16, 2007, Sergeant Edwards was promoted to Commercial Vehicle Administration.  He is certified in commercial vehicle post crash investigation and crash reconstruction, as well as commercial vehicle Level 1 through Level 6 and hazardous material and tank cargo inspections.   Edwards is a Waynesboro native where he lives with his wife of 14 years and one child, Jamison.

Thirteen-year veteran James M. Ford has been promoted to the rank of Sergeant.  He started his career as a Road Trooper in Bedford County in 1994, and will now serve as the new Sergeant in Henry County for the 8th District in Jackson.  During his career with THP, Sgt. Ford worked in Obion County for a year and Weakley County for eleven years as a firearms and radar instructor.  The Martin, Tennessee native is a Westview High School and John A. Gupton College graduate.  He is married with three children, Madison, Reilley and Michael.

Lieutenant Tim Griswold started his career with the Public Service Commission in 1985, and spent ten years there as a K-9 Sergeant.  In 1996, Lt. Griswold moved to the Department of Safety’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division.  In July of 2004, he joined the Tennessee Highway Patrol after THP and CVE merged together.  He was the 2nd District Midnight Sergeant before being assigned as Sergeant over Sequatchie and Bledsoe Counties.  Lt. Griswold has been promoted to Safety Education Lieutenant for the 2nd District in Chattanooga.

Lieutenant Delbert W. Newman, Jr. began his career as a member of the Tennessee Public Service Commission in 1991.  Five years later, he joined the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement unit and was promoted to Road Sergeant in the Memphis District in 2002.   In 2004, Lt. Newman was transferred to Lauderdale County, where he has served as Road Sergeant.   He is Level 1 certified to conduct hazardous materials inspections, as well as Tanker and Post-Crash inspections.  Lt. Newman is married and has five children.  He currently lives in his hometown of Ripley, TN.

Andy C. Shelton, Sr. has been promoted to the rank of Sergeant of the Critical Incident Response Team 4.   Sgt. Shelton was commissioned in 2000, and was assigned to Robertson County.  In 2006, he transferred to the Nashville Critical Incident Response Team.  Sgt. Shelton is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice Communication Systems and Administration.  A native of Memphis, Sgt. Shelton currently lives in Clarksville with his wife, Jacqui, and their two teenage children.

Sergeant Timothy Spicer was commissioned in December 2000, and has served in Grundy County reconstructing crash scenes and as a CPR technician.  Spicer has also served as a member of the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (C.I.S.D>) team.  A native of McMinnville, Sergeant Spicer lives in Beersheba Springs with his wife and daughter.

Brian Jones was also promoted to the position of Communications Dispatch Supervisor, after serving as Communications Dispatcher II for the Nashville District for the past eight years.  Jones started his career with the Tennessee Department of Safety in 1998. Jones is from Cross Plains and currently lives in Portland with his wife, Julie, and two young daughters.

Tanya Altick started her career with the Tennessee Highway Patrol seven years ago.  She was hired in 2000 as an Administrative Secretary for the Training Division.  Altick is being promoted to an Administrative Services Assistant 1 and will continue to serve in the Training Division. Altick currently resides in Murfreesboro.