Trooper Accessed Information for 182 People

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - An investigation into a state trooper has found that he accessed background information on 182 people.

But Tennessee Highway Patrol Col. Mike Walker said on Tuesday the list accessed by Lt. Ronnie Shirley doesn't include any elected officials or political figures.

The department won't release the names of those individuals on the list, but Walker says it included two journalists and one country music personality.

The Tennessee House Majority Leader has formally requested the release of those names.

Officials have interviewed Shirley, but Walker declined to say what they discussed. However, he speculated the officer may have been driven by "nosiness."

Most of the information accessed by Shirley is available to the general public, though some records like those kept in the Department of Corrections database, are not.

Shirley has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.

Below is a news release from the Tennessee Dept. of Safety:

The Tennessee Highway Patrol Criminal Investigation Division (CID) today released the preliminary facts surrounding the on-going investigation into Lt. Ronnie Shirley's alleged unauthorized access to the Integrated Criminal Justice Web Portal (ICJSC). The ICJSC is a web portal managed by the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) that provides access to a variety of criminal justice databases.

Lt. Shirley is being placed on administrative leave pending the on-going investigation.

"I want to stress, in no uncertain terms, that this investigation is being taken very seriously. "Professionalism, integrity and pride is not just our motto, but traits that I expect every member of the Highway Patrol to follow." stated THP Colonel Mike Walker. "The THP has zero tolerance for inappropriate and/or criminal behavior."

The CID investigation has identified the names of Tennesseans who were accessed by Lt. Shirley via the web portal. Investigators are in the process of conducting interviews with private citizens relative to this investigation. Pursuant to Rule 16 of the Tennessee Rules of Criminal Procedure, the names can not be released at this time. It has been reported in the media that Lt. Shirley accessed the records of as many as 300 people. Our preliminary investigation has determined that 182 individual names were accessed from October 19, 2006, when Lt. Shirley was first provided access to the portal, to July 3, 2008, when his access was terminated.

The investigation has also indentified Lt. Shirley:
· Accessed some private driver license information, including photos and driver history.
· Accessed one sex offender registry.
· Made six inquiries on the database of Tennessee convicted criminals (TOMIS).
· Accessed some vehicle registration and license information.

None of these queries are what are commonly considered to be a criminal history check under the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database. The Department of Safety has made a formal request of TBI to determine whether Lt. Shirley conducted criminal history checks.

The CID investigation began July 2, 2008, after information of Lt. Shirley's possible violation of the ICJSC access agreement was first discovered in an Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) investigation. Lt. Shirley's access to the law enforcement databases was terminated on July 3, 2008, pending the investigation.

The ICJSC portal is available to all Tennessee law enforcement and court officers with authorized access for criminal justice purposes and contains six separate databases: Driver License, Title and Registration, Tennessee Offender Management Information (TOMIS), Sex Offender Registry, Tennessee Orders of Protection and Tennessee Wanted Persons Database.

In early 2007, Commissioner Mitchell established the Professional Standards Bureau, which was recommended in the Kroll Report commissioned by Governor Bredesen. The new bureau, which includes the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), is charged with managing investigative and disciplinary processes of the Department of Safety and to assure that TDOS employees meet the highest standard of professionalism, integrity and ethical performance.

"Since Colonel Walker and I have been in charge of the Highway Patrol, 12 State Troopers have been terminated and three have resigned in lieu of termination," stated Department of Safety Commissioner Dave Mitchell. "While these unfortunate incidents do not reflect the true character of the more than 800 men and women who serve with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, we are committed to running an ethical and professional operation. This demands department-wide commitment to professional standards and it's precisely why we formed the Professional Standards Bureau."