Corporal Rushell Guarian, a 20-year veteran of the Covington Police Department, has been terminated following an internal investigation into alleged incidents dating back to 2018 through 2020. The move quietly surfaced on recent city meeting paperwork, ending a long run on the force and quickly drawing local scrutiny along with a wave of public records requests.
According to FOX13 Memphis, Chief Donna Turner said the internal probe was launched after the department received a citizen complaint outlining alleged events from 2018 to 2020. Her office is working with the Tipton County district attorney's office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Department leaders told the station that Cpl. Guarian was terminated after the internal review, and the case was sent to the state for possible decertification. FOX13 also reported that local journalists have requested Guarian's personnel file along with his state certification records.
How The Review Surfaced
Guarian's name appeared on a June agenda for the Covington Public Safety Committee, and municipal paperwork still listed him on training rosters earlier this year, according to the City of Covington public safety committee report. The same documents include monthly patrol statistics and training logs that show he attended report-writing training in January. Once those details hit the public packet, the agenda item and records raised questions about who knew what and when, prompting reporters to press for a clearer timeline.
POST Referral And What It Could Mean
The department has referred the matter to the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission for possible decertification, according to FOX13 Memphis. Decertification can strip an officer of state certification and effectively shut the door on future employment in Tennessee law enforcement. POST proceedings are handled through the state's law enforcement training structures, which are overseen by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance. Any criminal review by the Tipton County district attorney's office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation would move on a separate track from POST's professional oversight.
What To Watch Next
Public records requests for Guarian's personnel file and his state certification records are still pending. Those materials could reveal whether there were prior complaints or disciplinary issues on his record. If prosecutors decide to bring charges, or if POST moves forward with decertification, the fallout could be both criminal and career-ending. We asked the Covington Police Department for additional comment and will update this story as officials and public records respond.
