Governor Bill Lee and state leaders honor five Tennessee first responders at Three Stars of Tennessee ceremony

Governor Bill Lee and state public‑safety leaders onstage at Hermitage Hills Baptist Church honored five Tennessee first responders who died or sustained career‑ending injuries in the line of duty at the 2025 Three Stars of Tennessee Awards Ceremony.

Greg Mays, deputy commissioner for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security, opened the program with a welcome and the Pledge of Allegiance and asked attendees to silence cell phones. Commissioner Jeff Long linked the ceremony to state legislation establishing the award, saying it exists because of “responsible legislation filed by Chairman Becky Massie.”

Senator Becky Massie, who led the legislative effort to create the award in 2014, said the monument recognizes the sacrifices of law enforcement, firefighters and other first responders and described the people being honored as “heroes.” “These are dangerous professions with many uncertainties,” Massie said, and the award was created to remember those who do not return to their families.

Governor Bill Lee offered brief remarks and a prayer for families and communities affected by the losses. “May your presence be here as well in healing, in peace, in redemption,” he said.

The program named five honorees and summarized each service member’s circumstances as presented by the Department of Safety and Homeland Security:

• Officer Demetrius Johnson, Memphis Police Department — involved in a two‑vehicle crash on Aug. 2, 2024; he died after transport to Regional One Hospital. Lieutenant Alvin Clark accepted the award on Johnson’s behalf.

• Sergeant Rick Finley, McNary County Sheriff’s Office and Selmer Police Department — a U.S. Army National Guard veteran who, the program said, was shot responding to a suspicious‑person complaint on Dec. 14, 2024 and later died; several department representatives accepted the award.

• Captain George Turley, Chattanooga Fire Department — a 31‑year veteran who suffered a medical emergency on Dec. 14, 2024 and later died; his wife Deborah Turley accepted the award.

• Commander Anthony Mlan, Metro Nashville Police Department — described as a 27‑year department veteran who suffered an on‑duty medical emergency on Feb. 13, 2025 and died of complications on March 9, 2025; his wife Gayla and Chief John Drake accepted the award.

• Trooper Adam (Tennessee Highway Patrol) — described as injured on July 19, 2024 during a special enforcement campaign, later completing rehabilitation and continuing therapy; the program noted he remains part of the THP family and that an on‑duty trooper accepted the award on his behalf. (The ceremony transcript contains inconsistent spellings for this trooper’s surname and for the accepting trooper.)

The department thanked Hermitage Hills Baptist Church for the venue and noted that video from the ceremony was livestreamed and photographs would be posted online. The event closed with a final opportunity for family photos with Governor Lee, Senator Massie and Commissioner Long.

The program and remarks focused on honoring service and sacrifice; no votes or policy actions were taken at the ceremony.