Department of Safety
Dave Mitchell, Commissioner
Colonel Mike Walker
Colonel Mike Walker joined the Tennessee Highway Patrol in 1977, first working as a Road Trooper in Marion County. During his career, he has held positions of increasing responsibility throughout the department. Just prior to his appointment to Colonel in March of 2006, he had served three years as Captain of the Professional Standards Division.
His assignments have included supervising troops in five counties, coordinating security for THP at the Ocoee Olympic site during the 1996 Olympics and serving as the Administrative Lieutenant for THP's Chattanooga District. He became the Captain over Professional Standards in 2003.
Colonel Walker is a native of Dunlap, Tennessee. His first law enforcement job was as a police officer in Signal Mountain. He attended the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and completed the Northwestern University Police Administration course.
Colonel Walker is married and has seven children.
