County commissioner suspended from sheriff's office

Abbey Nutter, The Lebanon Democrat, Tenn.
·1 min read

Feb. 9—Wilson County District 25 Commissioner Justin Smith was suspended from his position as a detective with the Wilson County Sheriff's Office following a traffic stop on Sunday.

Smith was pulled over by a Lebanon Police Department officer on Sunday evening in a county-issued vehicle. He was charged with possession of a weapon while under the influence and driving under the influence.

A 911 call prompted a traffic stop by the Lebanon Police Department, which in turn led to an internal investigation. Smith is currently suspended until that investigation is completed.

Smith was booked into the Wilson County Jail on Wednesday and was released later in the afternoon.

"After learning of a traffic stop conducted by the Lebanon Police Department on Sunday evening of detective Justin Smith, he was suspended indefinitely pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation for potential violations of departmental policies," Wilson County Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer Scott Moore said in a statement.

Smith has worked for the Wilson County Sheriff's Office for 15 years.

He was elected as a county commissioner in 2018 and was re-elected for a second term.

Moore said that the Wilson County Sheriff's Office is uncertain how long the internal investigation may take.