Investigator Tharpe has been with the Dyersburg Police Department since 1994. In 1998, he was promoted to the Family Service Division, formerly known as Youth Guidance Division. Investigator Tharpe responsibilities includes investigating cases involving child pornography, prostitution, child physical and sexual abuse, any other case resulting in the exploitation of children, child death, child abduction/kidnapping, all sex offenses committed against an adult, and all juvenile cases.  

     Mr. Tharpe received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology from the University of Tennessee at Martin. He also received an Associate Degree in Justice Services from Dyersburg State Community College. 

     Mr. Tharpe has attended hundreds of hours of training in the area of child sexual exploitation, child physical abuse and sexual assault. In the process of working these cases, he has worked with several local, state, and federal agencies and social services.  

     From 2000 to 2003 Mr. Tharpe was training officers for the West Tennessee Criminal Investigator Association. As training officer he was responsible for over-seeing training for over 200 members of the association, which includes local, state and federal law enforcement. In 2006, he was asked to take over the training again. Mr. Tharpe was the recipient of the 2006 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award and was elected the 2007 President for the Investigator Association.  

     From 2003 to 2004 Mr. Tharpe taught Criminal Justice classes for Dyersburg State Community College as an adjunct Professor. He has spoken to and taught several public organizations which includes local schools, boy scouts, girl scouts and other civic organizations.

     As an instructor, Mr. Tharpe has trained numerous professionals in the area of violence against women and children. The majority of the trainings developed by Mr. Tharpe are based on a Multi-Disciplinary Concept. Mr. Tharpe has trained Police Chiefs, investigators, patrol officers, doctors, emergency room nurses, S.A.N.E. nurses, Department of Children Services Professionals and others professionals that are committed to stopping the violence. 

     There are several cases that has highlighted Investigator Tharpe career, but a few stand out. He was lead investigator in a case involving the death of a child by physical abuse by the child’s alleged half-sister and her husband. They took the child from his crack-addict mother. The State was seeking the Death Penalty, but the couple pled to lesser charges. The child was buried on his second birthday, by donations from the community. Mr. Tharpe was the lead investigator in a case involving child abduction that gained world wide media attention. The case involved a live-in babysitter that was discovered to be a man after he was arrested. A British production company filmed a documentary on the case. While testifying in the Dyer County General Session Court, Mr. Tharpe was declared an expert in interviewing children.