Major John Savage began his career with the Tennessee Highway Patrol in 1977 as a Trooper in Coffee County in the Chattanooga District.  He was promoted to Sergeant in 1987 and assigned to McMinn County.  In 1989, he was assigned as the Administrative Sergeant in Hamilton County in the Chattanooga District. In 1990 he was promoted to Administrative Lieutenant of the Chattanooga District.  In 1995 he was promoted to Captain of the Chattanooga District.  

In 2002 Savage was reassigned to Davidson County as the Commander of the Critical Incident Response Team (C.I.R.T.).  In 2005 he transferred to the Training Division as Assistant Director.  In 2006 he was assigned as Captain/Director of the Internal Affairs Division, where he served until his promotion to Major in 2007. Savage will now serve as the Director of the Professional Standards Bureau.

Major Savage graduated from the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command in 1989.  He is married with one daughter.