Deputy Commissioner | Chief of Staff Les Dolente

Deputy Commissioner | Chief of Staff Les Dolente

Les Dolente was appointed Deputy Commissioner and Chief of Staff of the Tennessee Department of Safety & Homeland Security in April of 2022. As the Chief of Staff, Dolente oversees the daily operations within the Department of Safety and Homeland Security and leads key strategic business initiatives. Before his promotion, he served three years as the Executive Officer to Commissioner Jeff Long.

Dolente began his career with the White County Sheriff’s Office in 1998, where he was awarded “Deputy of the Year” for two consecutive years. In 2004, he joined the Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) and served in District Six, which is headquartered in Cookeville. In 2005, he was selected for the THP’s Executive Protection Unit, which provides close body protection for the Governor and the First Lady of Tennessee, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House, the Tennessee Attorney General, and the Tennessee Residence. Dolente was promoted to oversee Executive Protection Unit security teams in 2015. In this role, he completed protective assignments across the U.S., the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

In 2018, Dolente was elected to the National Governor’s Security Association board, which regulates all standards in security procedures used by Governors’ security in the United States. In 2020, he received the Governor’s Excellence in Service Award which recognizes outstanding state employees who innovate and transform how the state delivers services. He has also served multiple terms as Vice President for the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #44.

Dolente holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice/Homeland Security from Austin Peay State University and a master’s degree in Criminal Justice/Public Safety from Tennessee Tech. He is also a graduate of Leadership Tennessee Class IX, Tennessee Government Executive Institute (TGEI), and Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff & Command where he was elected class president by his peers.