Lt. James Abbott
Adjunct Instructor
Departments / Programs
Areas of Expertise
Criminal Investigations
Biography
I started my law enforcement career in 1995 and since November of 1998, I have served with the Murfreesboro Police Department. Since 2006 I have served with the criminal investigation division as a general detective, gang investigator, and in the violent crimes unit. Since 2022 I have served as the lieutenant over the violent crime’s unit, special victims’ unit, and the forensic service unit. I have a bachelor's and master's degree from Middle Tennessee State University, and I am ...
Read More »I started my law enforcement career in 1995 and since November of 1998, I have served with the Murfreesboro Police Department. Since 2006 I have served with the criminal investigation division as a general detective, gang investigator, and in the violent crimes unit. Since 2022 I have served as the lieutenant over the violent crime’s unit, special victims’ unit, and the forensic service unit. I have a bachelor's and master's degree from Middle Tennessee State University, and I am currently working on my doctorate at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
In addition to my formal education, I am a trilogy recipient of the FBI-LEEDA leadership programs and has attended numerous courses in death and homicide investigations, intelligence-led policing, criminal investigative analysis, problem-oriented policing, gang investigations, crime scene operations, major case management, and managing investigation units. I have also completed the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Instructor Development course. In addition to teaching here at MTSU I am an adjunct instructor with the University of Tennessee Law Enforcement Innovation Center in Oak Ridge and was previously an adjunct instructor with Tennessee State University's Criminal Justice Department.
In the Media
Courses
CJA 4260 Spec Issues in Criminal Justice
CJA 4340 Crime Scene Investigation
CJA 4360 Crime Scene Photo & Documentation