Police Chief promotes six Murfreesboro officers
Murfreesboro Police Chief Michael Bowen has promoted two sergeants to lieutenant and four to sergeant.
Sgt. Sean Garrison and Sgt. Travis Ledford were promoted to lieutenant. Officers Carlie Coe, Justin Fugate, Jessica Hawkins, and Ben Leibach were promoted to sergeant.
“These employees have served our community with professionalism and integrity,” Bowen said. “We proudly recognize the leadership and dedication of these six outstanding officers.”
Lt. Garrison joined the department in 2004. He served as a patrol officer and field training officer before transferring to the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) as a detective and later as detective-sergeant over the Violent Crimes Unit. He also worked in the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). Garrison completed the FBI LEEDA Trilogy and the Southeastern Leadership Academy. He has served as an EVOC instructor, firearms instructor, and instructor development trainer. He earned a Bachelor of Science from Middle Tennessee State University and is pursuing a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. He previously served as an officer at MTSU.
Lt. Ledford began his career with MPD in August 2011. He served in patrol as a field training officer and member of Directed Patrol. In 2018, he joined the Special Investigations Section as a narcotics detective. He was promoted to sergeant in 2021 and later supervised the Violent Crimes Unit in CID. Ledford completed the Southeastern Leadership Academy and holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from MTSU.
Sgt. Coe joined MPD in 2018 as a patrol officer. She has served as a field training officer and is currently the assistant commander of the Fatal Accident Crash Team (FACT). Coe served as a specialist in the U.S. Army National Guard and earned a Bachelor of Science from MTSU.
Sgt. Fugate began working at MPD in 2017. He has served as a patrol officer, field training officer, and detective. He completed the TBI City/County Investigator School, Southern Police Institute Homicide Investigator School, and Southeastern Investigative Group Homicide School. Fugate also served in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Sgt. Hawkins joined the department in 2011 as a patrol officer. She has served as a field training officer, Honor Guard member, Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) member and background investigator. She completed instructor development and has served as an ASP, Taser, OC spray, and FLETC Basic Tactical Medical instructor. She is also certified as a Child Passenger Safety technician, RAD Women instructor, and CPR/Basic Life Support instructor. Hawkins attended the Walter State Police Academy.
Sgt. Leibach joined MPD in November 2015. He has served as a field training officer, K-9 handler for patrol and the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Unit, firearms instructor, carbine/rifle instructor, Taser instructor, ALERRT active shooter instructor, and Glock armorer. He is also a member of the Crisis Intervention Team and trained in field force operations. Leibach served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps, including a deployment to Afghanistan. He previously worked for the Metro Nashville – Davidson County Sheriff’s Office and has a degree in criminal justice from Miller Motte College.
MPD recognized all six officers during a promotion ceremony Friday, Oct. 17, at department headquarters.
