Why KPD?

In June of 2022 Paul Noel joined a police department troubled with accusations of racism, sexism, and with several wrongful death suits pending. His credentials as a proponent of “Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement” (ABLE) spoke well for his intent to reform the department.

But already Chief Noel has hopped on the band wagon. He’s covered for the officers who shot Anthony Thompson Jr. He’s promoted an all white leadership team the week before a scathing report about racism in the department was released He’s defended the city’s attempt to prevent local media from accessing documents about his hiring.

Paul Noel… ACAB.

When then Captain Susan Coker reviewed the video footage of Officer Joseph Roberts assaulting Trinity Clark and stripping her top off in the process, the only thing she saw wrong was the swearing. The city settled with Ms. Clark for $175,000 of taxpayer money. Now Coker has been promoted to Deputy Chief.

Check out the video for yourself:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNaL9Q5tDmk

“You should know something about being on a slave ship, right?” That’s what white Officer Adam Broome said to the only black Officer in his unit. Command staff sprang into action, silencing the four officers who complained, and making sure that neither the Internal Affairs unit not the City Law Department found out. When the coverup was discovered, Chief Paul fired Lt Michael Earlywine but only suspended Capt Don Jones.

On Feb 4 2023, Lisa Edwards flew from Rhode Island to Knoxville TN. In flight she began to experience abdominal pain. Despite her history of stroke, both Blount Memorial Hospital and Fort Sanders RMC discharged Edwards. When she was unable to walk on her own to leave FSRMC, police were called.

Police insulted and taunted Lisa as she begged for help. One officer said “This is the Lord's day, all I want to do is get me some coffee and some oatmeal. I'm not going to deal with your mess this morning.”

After the disabled women could not be loaded into the transport van, she was placed in the back of a police cruiser. She died of a stroke while the officer driving performed a traffic stop with her in the vehicle.

https://youtu.be/NLJIQV1t1DI

On Aug 13, 2021, Officer Cody Klingmann was speeding at more than 80 mph without lights or siren activated when he struck a car on Kingston Pike, killing 27-year-old Mauricio Luna. A few weeks earlier, Klingmann had been returned to solo patrol duty after hitting a gas pump with his patrol car.

April 12, 2021, Anthony Thompson Jr was shot and killed in his high school Bathroom by KPD Officer Claybough. Even though a possible firearm was reported, KPD’s crisis negotiation team was not deployed by the SRO. After the incident, KPD withheld body camera footage and allowed confusion about who fired a shot that hit an officer to persist. It was Claybough that shot the other officer.

On Aug. 26 2019 "Philly" Pheap was suspected of a hit and run. According to eyewitnesses, he was shot twice in the back by KPD Officer Dylan M. Williams. There is no camera footage of either incident.

Outcry from the death of Philly, adoptive father to a young daughter with strong community ties, pushed KPD to implement a body worn camera program by the end of 2020.

In January 2019 Officer approached the vehicle of Jason C. Minnick in a parking lot. When his vehicle moved, they opened fire. No officers were injured. Minnick was unarmed and there was nothing illegal in the car.

November 26, 2018. Sierra McCauley, naked in the street, was shot by Officer James Gadd. KPD has since implemented Crisis Intervention Training, an ineffective program. From “Effectiveness of Police Crisis Intervention Training Programs” published in Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law:

“There is little evidence in the peer-reviewed literature … that shows CIT's benefits on objective measures of arrests, officer injury, citizen injury, or use of force.”

Bryan Calvin Lee was shot and killed while an ad hoc task force of law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a house on Sevier Avenue in South Knoxville.

Police said the man pointed a gun at officers, and an exchange of gunfire followed. No officers were hit by gunfire or hurt in the incident. KPD body camera policy does not require SOS officers to wear them. There is no video of the incident.

The officers involved in the shooting were Lieutenant Shane Watson, Sergeant Chris Hutton, Officer James Hunley, and Officer Carl Kennedy.

April 14 2022, Officer Joseph Roberts pled guilty to lying on an arrest warrant after Robert started a high speed pursuit that exceed 100 MPH during rush hour and injured three people.

This was the second documented incident where Robert’s overreacted and lied before pursuing a young woman. In August of 2021, Roberts sped down a residential street with no lights and sirens before tackling the woman without cause. All charges were dropped against the victim and a judge called Roberts actions disturbing. Multiple senior KPD officers reviewed Roberts’ actions and found no wrong doing.

Video of that first incident below.
Warning: Graphic Content

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNaL9Q5tDmk

On May 3, 2019 Officer Christopher Brooks pulled over 60-year old Raymond Alvin Taylor Jr. for alleged speeding.

Brooks asked if Taylor had any weapons and Taylor responded by handing over a sheathed knife, handle first. Brooks drew his service weapon, aimed it at Taylor's head and ordered him out of the truck. He threw the knife to the ground.

Brooks grabbed Taylor’s arms and cuffed him. Taylor cried out in pain and explained he had a previous injury. Brooks continued to jerk and pull on his arm, despite Taylor's protests, eventually slamming him to the ground face-first.
Taylor Received a $150,000 tax payer funded settlement.

Via Knox News

https://www.knoxnews.com/videos/news/local/2020/07/06/kpd-dashcam-video-shows-officer-breaking-arrestees-arm-during-traffic-stop/3273894001/

Knoxville police Officers Shaun Ryan, Donald Mullins and John Morris responded to a call about a domestic violence situation by waking a sleeping 72-year-old woman at the wrong address.

Officer entered with guns drawn on the partially dressed woman and interrogated her gruffly before departing.

Coverage by Our Affiliate https://youtu.be/QoWEUg_iCxM

Local News Coverage https://www.wate.com/news/knoxville-officers-enter-wrong-home-frightening-72-year-old-woman/

Officer Tanner Holt resigned after being knocked out at a wedding for making racist comments.

Holt was part of a group comprised of a half-dozen people who had just attended a wedding reception. Everyone in the party was white except for a Black man.

Holt, who was “very intoxicated,” allegedly confronted the black man over his ethnicity and made the comment that Holt “didn’t know they let Black people in the reception hall.” The man asked Holt repeatedly to drop the subject and stop talking to him about race, but the off-duty officer wouldn’t quit.

Ron Green retired in late 2021 after allegations of sexual misconduct from several women dating back as far as 1998 were brought to the attention of the public. Green was initially placed on paid administrative leave for five days beginning August 17. It lasted approximately 17 full weeks before he retired.

According to KPD, it is standard protocol that employees who are placed on paid administrative leave are paid their full salary. That means Green had been paid more than $30,000 while on administrative leave.

Knoxville Police Dept. Sgt. Bobby Maxwell was caught on video in a KPD meeting room describing in vulgar and offensive terms how a male officer could have oral sex with a female. On the video he could be heard using terms like "choke job" and "pearl necklace".

Lt. Travis Brasfield, a veteran Knoxville officer who also holds a law degree, leaked the video and filed the official complaint that led to Sgt. Maxwell’s resignation. Brasfield resigned a few weeks after filing the complaint, citing retaliation.

More info

Officer Coy Tucker II repeatedly made unconsented contact with his victim by following her, approaching her in both public and private locations, appearing at her places of work and residence, entering onto her property, calling her and sending her numerous text messages with threatening language.

Tucker was placed on administrative leave on July 30 2022

Tucker was assigned as the School Resource Officer at West High School during the 2020-2021 school year after.

KPD officer arrested on suspected aggravated stalking charges

Stashed in Eddie Nations Knoxville Police Department vehicle were dozens of citations that were never turned in; apparent drug evidence taken in arrests; a deflated sex doll; and 42 forms for cars that were towed that never got turned in, a 10Investigates review shows.

Here’s what Chief Paul Noel had to say about this incident.

10 Investigates Report:

KPD officer kept evidence, citations, sex doll for months, years in cruiser

When Officer Adam Broome