NASHVILLE-Department of Safety Commissioner Dave Mitchell has named Danny W. Talley as the new Director of the Criminal Investigation Division (CID), effective immediately. Talley replaces Frankie Floied who retired Oct. 2, after 36 years of service. 

Talley, 46, has been serving as the Acting Special Agent-in-Charge for the CID East Tennessee Region 1 in Morristown since August 2009. Previous to his appointment to CID, Lieutenant Talley served as Troop Lieutenant in the Fall Branch District in East Tennessee. Commissioned as a Road Trooper in 1987, Talley was promoted to Sergeant in 1994 then to Lieutenant in 2007. In 2008, Talley was selected to attend the FBI National Academy's 234th Session, which is the U.S. Department of Justice management training for state, local and international law enforcement officers. 

"Lieutenant Talley is a veteran law enforcement officer who has served with distinction as a Strike Team leader, Riot Squad supervisor, K-9 handler, and firearms instructor," said THP Colonel Mike Walker. "The THP Criminal Investigation Division will benefit tremendously from his leadership and commitment to investigating criminal activity across the state." 

The Criminal Investigation Division investigates vehicular homicide, auto theft, identify theft, driver license fraud and any matters initiated by members of the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Driver License Services Division. CID also investigates, gathers evidence, and assists federal, state and local law enforcement, when requested, per T.C.A. 4-7-401, and provides investigative and technical support to the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) with internal affairs investigators.

Prior to being commissioned with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Lieutenant Talley served as a police officer for the Big Stone Gap Police Department in Southwest Virginia.

Talley is a 1997 graduate of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command and received his Associates Degree in Criminal Justice from Walters State Community College in Morristown in 1985. A native of Newport, Tenn., he graduated from Cocke County High School in 1982.

Talley and his wife Carmen have a daughter, Charley, who is a student at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro.