The Franklin Police Department is entering a new chapter as it bids farewell to a quartet of long-serving personnel whose combined service spans decades. Announced on the city’s website, the retiring members include Captain Rick Clouse, Officer David Jenkins, Public Affairs Officer Ryan Schuman, and administrative assistant Donna Thomas. Together, they have devoted a cumulative 75 years to law enforcement and city administration. According to the City of Franklin, their official retirement occurred yesterday.
Captain Rick Clouse, a figure known for his disciplined approach courtesy of over two decades of U.S. Army experience as a Master Sergeant, embarked on his law enforcement odyssey with the Franklin Police Department back in July 1999; he’s known for his breadth of roles ranging from Patrol Officer to Captain of Special Operations and many posts in between, like his time as a SWAT Team Operator and a member of the Dive/Swiftwater Rescue Team. Officer David Jenkins, who joined the department one year after Clouse, initially started as a Telecommunications Officer, then switched to patrol duties in 2002, and boasts a tenure dotted with roles as a Field Training Officer, Crime Scene Technician, and Critical Incident investigator. His journey in Franklin began after he had completed his U.S. Air Force service and obtained a criminal justice degree from Middle Tennessee State University.
Another veteran in the mix, Public Affairs Officer Ryan Schuman, began with the Franklin Police Department also in 2000, injecting his military background and marketing degree from MTSU into his career that spanned over a decade of public relations and tactical duties, including 13 years on the SWAT team 11 of which he served as a sniper – he holds numerous law enforcement tactics and fitness instructor certifications. Administrative assistant Donna Thomas, often the unsung hero of the department, provided 18 years of behind-the-scenes support on initiatives like the Citizens’ Police Academy classes and coordinated the department’s volunteers and the LEAP program…