State documents circulating among Tennessee regulators say a former Newbern police officer could lose his certification after letters and personnel records raised red flags about his conduct and truthfulness. The case centers on Benjamin Gilkey, who was fired from the Newbern Police Department in 2025 and is now under certification review by state regulators. The disputed records point to missed subpoenas, honesty concerns with prosecutors, and on-the-job decisions that led city officials to cut him loose.
Records flag missed subpoenas and on-duty disputes
According to FOX13 Memphis, the state file includes a termination letter and correspondence from prosecutors who say Gilkey was subpoenaed weeks before a hearing, yet stayed at home when he was needed in court, and later told them he would be unavailable because of a family commitment. The documents allege he had "repeatedly been dishonest" with assistant district attorneys and warn that such conduct could make future prosecutions that depend on his testimony tough, if not impossible, to bring. They also describe an incident in which Gilkey allegedly ignored a supervisor's advice, took a driver to the Dyer County jail, and later arrested that person on an open-container charge. The POST Commission has put a review of his certification on its May meeting agenda.
DA says honesty questions could tank cases
Assistant District Attorney Danny Goodman, who is also the elected District Attorney General for the 29th Judicial District that covers Dyer and Lake counties, wrote in a letter that Gilkey "first responded that [he] had never been issued a subpoena to testify" and later acknowledged he would be unavailable, according to FOX13 Memphis. Goodman cautioned regulators that the pattern of responses and alleged untruthfulness could keep prosecutors from putting Gilkey on the stand when a case rests on his word. The district's official website lists Goodman as the elected district attorney for the region. The 29th Judicial District office handles prosecutions in Dyer and Lake counties.
How POST can strip an officer of certification
The Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission can investigate complaints, hold an informal hearing before a Disciplinary Subcommittee, and ultimately vote to revoke an officer's certification when rules are violated, according to a recent state review. A recent Comptroller audit details how complaints are received, the timelines for investigations, and the stages of discipline. Decertification would block an officer from serving in Tennessee and could lead to placement on national decertification lists. The audit also outlines options available to officers under review, including temporarily surrendering certification and requesting hearings or continuances while their cases are resolved.
Newbern firing and what comes next for Gilkey
Newbern Police Chief Greg Barr's 2025 termination letter, which was included in the state file, said Gilkey's actions showed "a profound lack of judgment as well as your incompetence, insubordination, and unreasonable disregard," and cited the on-duty incidents that led to his dismissal. An attorney for Gilkey has asked POST commissioners to accept a temporary surrender of his certification while the matter is adjudicated, and the Commission's May session is set as the next formal step. If POST votes to revoke his certification, Gilkey would be barred from working as a certified law enforcement officer in Tennessee, and that decision could ripple through any prosecutions that have relied on his testimony.
What to watch as the May meeting nears
The POST agenda item in May will signal whether the Disciplinary Subcommittee will hold an informal hearing and whether the case moves to the full commission. Because decertification decisions can affect evidence and witness availability in both past and pending criminal cases, local prosecutors, defense attorneys, and community members are expected to track the outcome closely. Hoodline will be watching the commission docket and local court filings for any new documents, hearing dates, or rulings as the review moves ahead.
