September 23, 2014 — Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security
Commissioner Bill Gibbons and Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Tracy Trott
announced Friday that a Tennessee state trooper in the Fall Branch District
resigned from the department in lieu of termination following an internal
investigation into an arrest on domestic assault charges.

The Johnson City Police Department charged Trooper Russel Holtsclaw, 28,
with aggravated domestic assault on August 10 following a reported incident
at his residence. The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) placed Holtsclaw on
administrative leave that same day. The department’s Investigative Services
Bureau opened an internal investigation into the incident. All departmental
equipment including weapons, badges and commission card were secured
pending the investigation.

The department’s internal investigation resulted in the decision to
terminate Holtsclaw. However, on Friday Holtsclaw resigned employment in
lieu of termination. He has been assigned as a trooper to the Fall Branch
District in east Tennessee since joining the department in January 2012.

The criminal case against Holtsclaw is pending.

“Allegations of domestic violence are absolutely not tolerated in the
Tennessee Highway Patrol,” Colonel Trott said.  “Regardless of the outcome
of the pending criminal case, our investigation concludes that this trooper
clearly violated policies of the department and his behavior is
unacceptable for anyone who wears the THP badge,” Trott stated.

“We will continue to act quickly to respond to any allegations of domestic
assault, conduct thorough investigations, and swiftly discipline employees
of this department who commit such acts of violence,” Commissioner Gibbons
said. “The actions of this one trooper do not reflect those of the men and
women of the Tennessee Highway Patrol,” he added.