Law Enforcement Innovation Center (LEIC) Executive Director Rick Scarbrough has announced his retirement after eight years leading the center, an agency of the University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service (IPS). His last day with the center will be Friday, Sept. 4. Scarbrough started at LEIC in 2018 after serving as the Clinton police chief for 16 years.
“It has been an honor to lead LEIC and work alongside the law enforcement professionals who are committed every day to making their communities safer,” Scarbrough said. “I am proud of what the center has accomplished over the past eight years and grateful to the team and partners who made that work possible. LEIC is in good hands and well positioned for the future.”
During his tenure, Scarbrough helped expand the center’s reach and strengthen its role in serving law enforcement professionals across Tennessee and the nation. In 2023, he helped develop the Memphis Police Department’s Leadership Academy, which recently graduated its third class. He also created the recently launched Law Enforcement Leadership Academy, designed to strengthen the leadership of police chiefs in Tennessee and across the nation.
“Rick Scarbrough has dedicated his career to serving Tennesseans, first through law enforcement and then through his leadership of the Law Enforcement Innovation Center,” said UT System President Randy Boyd. “His commitment to strengthening law enforcement across Tennessee has made a lasting difference, and we are grateful for his service to the University of Tennessee and to our state. We wish Rick and his family all the best in this next chapter.”
“I want to thank Rick for his eight years as executive director of LEIC. He’s brought growth and awareness to LEIC, and we are grateful to him for that,” said IPS Vice President Herb Byrd.
Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS) Police Management Consultant David Moore will step into the interim executive director role upon Scarbrough’s retirement. He will continue his role with MTAS during that time, and LEIC’s programs and services will continue without interruption during the transition.
Prior to joining MTAS, Moore served more than 25 years in law enforcement. He joined MTAS in 2019 from the University of Tennessee at Martin where he was a lecturer in the Department of Behavioral Science. He served with the Martin Police Department from 1989 to 2015, rising through the ranks from dispatcher and ultimately to police chief, a position he held from 2003 to 2015.
Moore is a 2026 UT President’s Award winner in the category of Bold and Impactful. He earned the recognition for his leadership in addressing a complex challenge facing law enforcement in Tennessee — determining appropriate staffing levels. Through extensive research and applied analysis, Moore developed a data-informed staffing methodology that translates academic research into a practical, decision-making framework for law enforcement leaders.
“I appreciate David agreeing to step into the interim position. The law enforcement community in Tennessee has tremendous respect for him and many of LEIC’s customers are already familiar with him,” said Byrd.
LEIC, one of seven agencies in the IPS organization, provides training for the law enforcement community across the nation. The center offers the National Forensic Academy and the Southeastern Leadership Academy as well as individual courses on forensic investigation, school safety, response to an active shooter and officer decision-making.
