Results of CPD Sgt. Tim Vandever Appeal Released--Reprimand reduced by Crossville CIty Manager.

The results of the appeal of personnel action filed by Crossville Police Sgt. Tim Vandever has been released following the appeal being passed to the Crossville City Manager as the Personnel Board did not have a quorum available to meet.

Under the rules, the appeal could have been delayed or passed on to the manager at the decision of Sgt. Vandever.  He agreed to allow the appeal decision to be made by City Manager Greg Wood.

Crossville City Manager Greg Wood

CPD Sgt. Tim

Vandever

Vandever received a written reprimand following an incident that started on I-40 as Sgt. Vandever, who was off-duty, was returning from Cookeville in a vehicle with his wife. After following a vehicle Vandever said was driving erratically he called 911 on his cell phone to report the driver. Before Vandever called 911 he said the vehicle cut in front of his vehicle nearly hitting it and the driver began pouring sodas out the window on to Vandever's vehicle causing visibility problems.

Vandever was unable to get assistance from other law enforcement and ended up following the vehicle to a residence on Lantana Road. A disagreement followed with the vehicle's driver and family members before uniformed law enforcement arrived a short time later.

Sgt. Vandever received a written reprimand from his supervisor a few days later.  He appealed that reprimand to the personnel board.

The written decision by City Manager Greg Wood downgraded the reprimand from written to a verbal one. Wrote Wood, “I agree (Vandever) did put himself at a tactical disadvantage. I also agree if he had been less aggressive in the situation he likely would not have had the issues with the parents, but listening to the dispatch recordings I also understand that he may have felt this situation rose above the level of a minor offense exacerbated by his inability to get help from any uniformed patrol.”

Wood concluded, “ Based on the fact that the dispatch recordings were not reviewed prior to the reprimand and the proper procedure, according to department policy, was not followed to document and investigate the complaint, I am reducing the reprimand to verbal counseling.”

Wood also upheld the direction for counseling related to the incident.