Gulfport officer arrested on DUI charges in Tennessee

A Gulfport police officer was arrested this week in Tennessee on DUI charges.

Thirty-three-year-old Joseph Prine Jr. was arrested by Gatlinburg Police Wednesday for driving under the influence and carrying a weapon while under the influence.

We reached out to Gulfport police for a statement on Prine’s arrest and department leaders tell us that they are aware of this off-duty arrest and that is it now under investigation.

Police Chief Adam Cooper said in a statement: “On the evening of December 2, 2025, the Gatlinburg, Tennessee Police Department conducted a traffic stop of an unmarked City-owned vehicle being operated by Joseph Prine, who is a Gulfport Police Officer attending out-of-state training but who was off-duty at the time. Gatlinburg Police initiated a sobriety investigation and subsequently charged Prine with the misdemeanor offenses of Driving while Under the Influence, possession of an open container and having a firearm in the vehicle while intoxicated. At this time, Prine is on personal leave, and the Gulfport Police Department is conducting an internal investigation”