Incident at Lebanon Police Station Involves Officer and Teacher
A police officer from the Lebanon Police Station was found to have been involved in a sexual relationship with an elementary school teacher while on duty. The officer, Brian Gilley, promptly resigned following the discovery of the misconduct.
Gilley, who had served at Castle Heights Elementary School, initially refuted claims that he had sexual relations with teacher Shelby Moss but later admitted to the affair.
He was quoted saying, “That’s a mistake and it’s not going to happen again.”
An internal investigation revealed that the encounter took place after school hours on the premises, although Gilley acknowledged there might have been students on campus during that time.
Reportedly, there is no body camera footage of the actual incident. However, some flirty exchanges between the officer and the teacher were captured on video, and additional text messages were obtained, though some were deemed inappropriate for publication.
Interestingly, it was noted that Gilley was married when this relationship occurred, which complicates matters further. He appeared at a hearing in April, seeking leniency, stating, “I know I’m doing the wrong thing, but I’ve also influenced that community in many ways.”
The teacher received a two-day suspension and resigned in May.
This matter will also be referred to the Tennessee State Board of Education to assess any further implications.
JC Bowman, the executive director of a professional educators’ organization in Tennessee, commented on the situation, indicating that such incidents can have significant ramifications.
Lebanon Police Chief Mike Justice issued a statement, explaining that Gilley’s conduct constituted policy violations, including dishonesty during the investigation. He affirmed that while Gilley’s actions did not involve criminal behavior or take place in the presence of students, they were not aligned with departmental standards.
As a result, Gilley is now prohibited from holding a position as a police officer in Tennessee.
