NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A Tennessee Highway Patrol lieutenant is being investigated after facing accusations that he possibly performed hundreds of background checks on co-workers and residents.

Video: THP Concerned After Media Leak About Investigation

Sources inside the Department of Safety said that while the investigation into Lt. Ronnie Shirley continues, top officials are equally concerned about who tipped off the media about it.

Since Wednesday, some THP captains have been called onto the carpet at their Nashville headquarters to be asked by their superiors to find out who told media outlets that Shirley was under investigation.

"Those who are concerned about that should be concerned more about what actually happened and why it happened," said Rep. Gary Odom.

Odom is the chairman of the Tennessee House Ethics Committee and is calling for an outside agency to take over the entire investigation.

"This is not something I think the Department of Safety can handle on its own and maintain the kind of credibility that we need to have on this," said Odom.

Though the investigation into Shirley began in the spring, few knew about it until last month when the story began circulating.

On Tuesday, safety officials confirmed that the man who was once busted for fixing the former deputy governor's speeding ticket is being looked at again. This time he is accused of running law enforcement checks on people not involved in any investigation.

"Certainly citizens should feel that information about them isn't being used for political purposes or just for morbid curiosity," said Rep. Susan Lynn.

Lynn helped rewrite the state ethics code and said if the allegations are true, she and other lawmakers would like to know the names of those people checked and the reason why.

"I'm sure every citizen in the state of Tennessee is wondering if they're on that list. That's why it's so disturbing. Nobody knows," said Lynn.

The commissioner of safety said that some people have been questioned this week but it involved possible obstruction of justice and was not an attempt to identify who was talking to the media.

Lawmakers said they want to see that list and believe that could reveal a motive.