Hohenwald Police Captain and Lewis County Commissioner Earl Taylor, a career officer and grandfather, was called out at a County Commission board meeting by an angry parent.
by Jack Burns
Shane Blackwood addressed the county commission in March of this year claiming he was there to talk about “garbage.” That “garbage” involved calling out an alleged pedophile cop for attempted grooming of his daughter.
In a riveting five minute speech, Mr. Blackwood said his worst fears had come true. He said “the right thing to do as a father” was to come forward with allegations Captain Taylor had sent inappropriate text messages to his daughter.
Blackwood explained his daughter was forced by her local high school to obtain community service credits in order to graduate and promptly volunteered to serve the city, and the county “to try and get the hours to graduate”.
Her quest for community service hours led her to volunteer as a ride-along with Captain Taylor in the Hohenwald PD while she was still in school.
The angry parent said that encounter led to a series of text messages which one might say were flirtatious in nature which were intercepted by other adults who were in her presence.
It was explained to Blackwood’s daughter that Captain Taylor was a “creeper” and to ignore the messages.
Although none of the messages were explicit in nature it was clear to the parents involved the police officer was grooming his daughter for other reasons.
After asking Blackwood’s daughter if she wanted him to ride with her around town he texted the teen:
”Yeah, you wouldn’t want me anyway…well, I’m too old, lol…you’re as only as old as you feel so I guess I’m doing pretty good.”
The Captain allegedly texted her the next day to ask what she would be doing that day but she was advised she should not be talking with the “dirty old man”.
Blackwood addressed Taylor directly, who was seated as a commissioner in the room. “I believe you was a captain wasn’t you, Earl.”
He then displayed the Facebook Messenger profile of the acting police officer and sitting commissioner. He explained he would do “everything” in his power to let the town know “who you are and what you are.”
Blackwood said he wanted the “human garbage” hauled out of the town and volunteered to help in the matter. Following the meeting, in March, Taylor resigned from the Lewis County Commission, in an email writing:
To whom it may concern, It is with great regret that I render this letter of resignation. I have loved serving my community as a commissioner but I cannot do so in an effective manner, therefore I will no longer be representing the 4th district of Lewis County as a commissioner
The action was supposedly directly related to Blackwood exposing Taylor as a potential predator, having been caught grooming his daughter and using his badge to do so.
It is unclear if Taylor committed any crimes when he was accused by Blackwood of being inappropriate with his daughter.
It has been our experience here at Police the Police that predators rarely have just one victim.
Anyone with knowledge of illegal activity involving Taylor should approach the Tennessee State Bureau of Investigations with their claims.
Also worth noting was a statement by Blackwood Taylor was attempting to serve as a youth pastor at his church.
