Livingston Aldermen Hire New Police Officer, Ask About Training Moving Forward

The Livingston Police Department is slowly returning to a fully staffed state after several officers left during the Greg Etheredge resignation, according to Interim Chief Ray Smith .

The Board of Aldermen Tuesday night approved hiring officer Shane Barlow. Mayor Curtis Hayes disclosed the fact that Barlow is his brother-in-law. Hayes said that Barlow did not approach him regarding the job and instead contacted Smith about the position.

“He has nine years of experience,” Smith said. “He has worked the road before. It will be a little less training to put a gentlemen on the road that is already certified and ready to go to work than it is to take a gentlemen up and spend that kind of money and start all over again.”

Smith said only two positions remain to be filled on the patrol unit.

Later in Smith’s report, Alderman John Clough asked the interim chief about his plan on training officers moving forward. Clough said he wanted to avoid a future situations of mishandled evidence that the department faced just months ago.

“Must every professional organization has requirements for retraining, reminding and going through things again,” Clough said. “We don’t have anything really formalized for that for the police department. As you learn more about what is available, I think it is a really good thing to do.”

Hayes said while training is important, the focus right now is to build the department back up to a full staff. Hayes said then, the training would follow, specifically regarding evidence handling and drug seizures.

“I think Ray is trying to get to full strength, so he could send some of these officers to school,” Hayes said. “Right now, he is having to work the weekends and late nights, because we are short handed right now. But yes. I am for that 100 percent to get extra training in these areas.”

Smith said the department could use a few options with MTAS or bring in an instructor to teach the class. Smith said officers are also required to take 40 hours of in-service training yearly to sharpen skills.

In other business, the Livingston Board of Aldermen approved a new city attorney. Cookeville Lawyer and the sole applicant for the position Andre Greppin was hired. He replaces John Meadows who left the position after being elected a Judge in White County. Attorney Dan Rader served as interim for about a month until this point.