POST suspends trooper after panel cites tardiness, on-duty sleeping and contentious traffic stop

The Tennessee POST Commission voted to suspend the certification of Steven George after agency presenters recited multiple incidents during his probationary period, including a speeding stop that agencies described as a contentious confrontation, three documented late arrivals and two occasions when George was found sleeping while on administrative duty.

Lieutenant Colonel Tim Spicer described the agency’s review and said video and personnel records documented the incidents. “We had 3 documented issues of tardiness and twice was caught asleep,” an agency representative said.

George told the commission he was stressed at the time and that some of the conduct reflected poor judgment rather than malice. “I know I was wrong, and I took full accountability for it,” he said, adding that he is engaged with treatment and training. George also said the speeding stop escalated when he did not initially recognize the unmarked vehicle and later was handcuffed on the scene.

Commissioners debated whether the conduct, occurring while George was probationary, met the threshold for decertification. Several commissioners said they were troubled by repeated tardiness and sleeping while on duty. One motion initially proposed indefinite suspension but legal counsel advised the commission that indefinite suspension may not be authorized under POST rules; the commissioners replaced it with a term suspension and the motion carried.

The commission did not set a specific timeout length on the record at this hearing; staff were directed to record the suspension and advise on the steps for George to seek reinstatement if allowed by POST procedures.