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The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) has launched an inquiry into allegations related to training documents filed by Regan Tilson, who was recently dismissed from his position as Erwin’s Police Chief.
Tilson faced termination in August after allegedly not passing an alcohol screening on June 30. The Erwin Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BMA) decisively maintained the decision to dismiss Tilson during a vote held last Monday.
On September 5, town officials disclosed an additional issue concerning Tilson. It was found on September 4 that Tilson had reportedly sent an In Service Training Roster to the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission way back in May 2025.
The allegations mention that Tilson reported training sessions were conducted by the Erwin Police Department in December 2024, but town officials contested that no such training took place.
Erwin’s leadership reported the matter to the district attorney general’s office, and it was then referred to the TBI.
A TBI representative confirmed on Wednesday that their special agents are actively “examining an allegation involving Regan Tilson, the former police chief of Erwin.”
According to the TBI, a stipend was also allegedly paid to officers who participated in the training in question.
The focus of the investigation revolves around the questionable submission of documents to POST for a training event that never happened, in addition to financial compensation purportedly given to involved officers.
The investigation is still active and ongoing, as of Wednesday.
The matter of the POST training investigation was brought up during Monday’s BMA meeting, which ended in Tilson’s termination being upheld. Tilson’s attorney, Todd Hull, told the BMA that the POST matter should not be considered in its decision regarding Tilson’s employment, as it was still an active investigation.
Alderman Michael Baker asked Erwin Town Attorney Tom Seeley during Monday’s meeting why the POST training issue was included on the release issued by the town on Sept. 5. Seeley said the matter would have warranted a press release, and he made the decision to include it rather than issuing a separate release.
