A veteran Red Bank police officer has resigned amid a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation probe into allegations involving a sex crime.
Sgt. George Dewey had been with the department for 21 years when the allegation surfaced, taking his colleagues by complete surprise, according to Red Bank Police Chief Larry Sneed.
“He was a good law enforcement officer,” said Chief Sneed, who said he could not elaborate on the specific nature of the allegation or how it was brought to light.
TBI spokeswoman Kristin Helm confirmed the agency opened a “sexual offense case” against Sgt. Dewey on Jan. 23.
“It’s ongoing, and when it’s completed, it’ll be turned over to the (Hamilton County district attorney),” Ms. Helm said.
Sgt. Dewey was serving as a day-shift patrol supervisor when the investigation was launched, Chief Sneed said.
He was suspended without pay on that day and resigned effective Jan. 28, Red Bank City Manager Chris Dorsey said.
Sgt. Dewey also had been placed on administrative leave in May 1995 after a fatal shooting, which is standard departmental policy, records show. Then-Officer Dewey fired at suspect Joseph Edward Owens, who threatened three people at a Lyndon Avenue apartment before allegedly lunging toward two Red Bank officers with a knife.
The officer was cleared of any wrongdoing in connection with the shooting, which by early June 1995 was ruled an act of self-defense, as he “did everything possible to diffuse the situation before using deadly force,” according to a letter from then-Chief Ronnie Dodd
