Commission votes to decertify TN state trooper based in Memphis
Mar 20, 2025
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- A standards and training commission voted unanimously to decertify a state trooper based on three incidents on Thursday.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol presented its findings today in front of the Peace Officer Standard and Training Commission against Trooper Rahim Muhammad recom
mending decertification.
A standards and training board approved the first measure to decertify a trooper from the Tennessee Highway Patrol. This comes after two Memphis police officers appeared before this same board earlier this week.
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According to the Department, there were three incidents.
THP said that in the first incident, Muhammad was scheduled to work a day shift, and he admitted to working a second job at the Renasant Center after calling out earlier that same day.
Muhammad told supervisors his blood sugar spiked, but investigators say the cause was due to working a late shift the night prior.
THP said that in the second incident, Muhammad had his patrol vehicle at the Memphis Headquarters and that an administrative sergeant had seen damage to the front of it.
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When he was asked about the damage, Muhammad told supervisors the damage was there before the vehicle was issued to him, but the body-worn camera showed that was not true.
In commission on Thursday, Muhammad said that there was no defense to his actions.
"At that time when I did notice it I was like yeah it's been a while before I was like I am going to report this and I figured that I would probably get away with it," said Muhammad.
The last incident involved the sallyport at 201 Poplar.
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THP said that Muhammad worked a sobriety check and arrested someone for a DUI, but after seeing the sallyport was full from a Memphis Police Department operation, Muhammad let that individual go right on the sidewalk.
"That's when I realized I messed up that situation, during that time he was pretty comprehensive. He was talking back and forth and figured he might have been good," said Muhammad.
The commission unanimously voted to decertify Muhammad.
WREG reached out to the Tennessee Highway Patrol for comment but has not heard back.
The two former MPD officers declined to defend themselves in today's hearing. The committee will hold a formal vote that could strip them of their certification on Friday. ...read more read less