Just Trust Us

The Bredeson administration is resisting some changes that would reduce the role that partisan politics plays in promotions in the Department of Safety, according to a report in today's The Tennessean. Those changes are being sought in the wake of reporting by that newspaper of promotions within the state highway patrol of contributors to the campaign of Governor Phil Bredeson. Some of those were promoted in spite of personnel records that included criminal convictions and other disciplinary actions.

Appointed control commander Col. Mike Walker doesn't seem to think that new policies and procedures and statutory provisions are necessary to deal with the issue. He says, ""The governor has said it will not be done. The commissioner has said it will not be done, and it shall not be done."

It seems odd that in the face of scandal, that leadership in the Department of Safety seems to be telling the public just to trust them.