LAFOLLETTE, Tenn. — Next Tuesday, the LaFollette City Council will vote on whether to name Captain Steve Wallen the new Chief of Police in the city.
The city council's agenda said, if approved, his appointment would begin on August 13, 2022.
Wallen was investigated earlier this year amid allegations he fixed a ticket for someone he had "known from childhood."
In a memo declining to prosecute Capt. Wallen, District Attorney General Jared Effler said Captain Wallen located a citation in the LaFollette Police Department's roll call room, reviewed it, and decided to remove it from the tray before it could be processed by the LaFollette City Court.
The TBI investigated the incident and Captain Wallen was suspended from the police force without pay until the resolution of the investigation.
However, the City Judge told investigators oversight of tickets before they're logged in the court system are "exclusively with the Chief and staff," General Effler said in his memo.
Therefore, General Effler said Captain Wallen did not commit a criminal act by removing the citation.
"Captain Wallen said he was acting in good faith, following direction from the City judge of LaFollette to keep unnecessary citations from making their way to court," the memo said.
If approved, Captain Wallen will replace Bill Roehl as the Chief of Police in LaFollette. The LaFollette City Council will meet on Tuesday, August 2 at 5:30 p.m.