Murfreesboro Police Employees Receive Promotions

Murfreesboro Police Department Chief Michael Bowen announces the promotion of sworn personnel to the ranks of deputy chief, captain and three to lieutenant.

Former Operations Division Commander, Captain Cary Gensemer has been named Deputy Chief overseeing the Administrative Services Division, Operations Division, and the Emergency Communications Division. Gensemer began his employment with MPD in 1999 as a patrol officer. He was later promoted to the rank of sergeant, lieutenant, and captain within the Uniformed Division before being assigned to the Operations Division.

During his employment he has served as a Field Training Officer (FTO), a member of the Special Operations Unit, the motorcycle traffic unit, and the Community Oriented Policing Unit (C.O.P.S.). He has also held the position of Commander of the Special Operations Unit (SOU). Gensemer is a graduate of the 285th session of the F.B.I. National Academy and the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command.

Deputy Chief Gensemer received his Bachelor of Science from Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) and his Master of Science from the University of San Diego. He is a United States Marine Corps veteran who served during Desert Storm. He brings 20 years of law enforcement supervisory experience with almost twelve of those years being at the command level.

Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) Lieutenant Craig Snider has been promoted to Captain of the Operations Division. He will oversee the Office of Professional Responsibility, Records Section, Evidence Section, and Facilities Management. Snider began working for MPD in 1997 as a part-time officer assigned to the Parks Unit. He was later hired full-time as a patrol officer and served as a part of the C.O.P.S. Unit and taught Drug Awareness Resistant Education (D.A.R.E.) classes. Snider served as a detective before being promoted to sergeant and lieutenant in the Operations Division. He is a graduate of the Southeastern Leadership Academy (SELA) and received his Bachelor of Science from MTSU. received the FBI LEEDA Trilogy Award and currently serves as the Vice-president of the National Internal Affairs Investigators Association (NIAIA).

Community Engagement Sergeant Amy Denton has been promoted to Administrative Services Lieutenant where she will serve as the General Department Instructor (GDI) overseeing departmental training. Denton began her career with MPD in 1997 where she served as a patrol officer and was assigned to the COPS Unit and as an FTO. Her additional assignments included DARE Instructor, Crime Prevention and Community Relations Officer, RAD Instructor, Child Passenger Safety Technician Instructor, Citizens Police Academy and Teen Citizens Police Academy Coordinator. She was promoted to sergeant where she served as the Community Engagement Coordinator and supervisor for the department’s volunteer Chaplains program. Denton received the FBI LEEDA Trilogy Award and is a past president of Tennessee DARE Officers’ Association. She attended MTSU and received her Bachelor of Science from Bethel University.

MPD Recruitment Sergeant Jason Higgins has been promoted to Lieutenant in the Administrative Services Division overseeing Recruitment, Crime Prevention, and Community Engagement. Higgins started his career with the department as a patrol officer in 1998. His assignments over the years include assignments as an FTO, MPACT officer, and Commander of the Fatal Accident Crash Team (FACT). His most recent assignments were as a sergeant in the Uniformed Division before assuming recruiting duties at the rank of sergeant. Higgins is a graduate of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command and an FBI LEEDA Trilogy award recipient who has also served as an Adjunct Instructor at the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy (TLETA).

Special Victims Unit Sergeant Chris Haney has been promoted to Operations Lieutenant. Haney begin working as a patrol officer with MPD in 2004 after serving with the Jefferson County (TN) Sheriff’s Department. As a patrol officer, he was assigned to the C.O.P.S. Unit and Crime Suppression Unit. Haney served as a detective before being promoted to sergeant in the Criminal Investigations Division (CID). As part of CID, he was assigned to the Special Investigations Section where he supervised the Gang Unit. Additionally, he has had responsibilities in supervising the Violent Crimes Unit and Special Victims Unit. Haney received the FBI LEEDA Trilogy Award and is a recent graduate of the Southeastern Leadership Academy (SELA).

Sergeant Chris Williams has been promoted to Lieutenant of the newly formed School Safety Division. He began his career with the department in 2011 as a patrol officer and during that time, was assigned to the Community Oriented Policing Unit. He later became a DARE officer, and School Safety Education Officer (SSEO) before serving as a School Resource Officer (SRO). He was later promoted to the position of sergeant in the Uniformed Division before with subsequent assignment to the

School Resource Officer Program. Williams is a United States Army Veteran who founded a non-profit organization that offers vocational training opportunities for communities in Africa.

The honorees were presented with their new brass collar pins at a promotion ceremony at MPD headquarters on Friday, March 15.

“These employees bring a wealth of experience, leadership, and knowledge to the police department,” said Police Chief Michael Bowen. “Our core values of integrity, courage, service, and honor are reflected in their service.”