Chief Paul Noel recognized eight Knoxville Police Department employees for their exemplary actions and exceptional service during the fourth quarter of 2023 by presenting them with official departmental commendations this week.
The following employees were presented with award recognition.
Officer Christopher Brooks – Crisis Intervention Award
Officer Christopher Brooks was selected to receive the Crisis Intervention Award for his calm and compassionate response to a suicidal individual in late November.
On November 30, 2023, Brooks responded to an apartment on Pleasant Ridge Road in regards to a man who allegedly had a gun to his head. After arriving on scene, Brooks worked quickly to attempt to deescalate the situation.
Brooks, a member of the KPD co-responder unit, entered the apartment and remained in contact with the individual for approximately 45 minutes, until he voluntarily surrendered to officers on the scene. He was then transported to the UT Emergency Room for further evaluation.
Officer Tim Edwards – Community Service Award
Officer Edwards was selected to receive the fourth-quarter Community Service Award for the relationships that he has built and maintained with the students at Central High School, where he serves as the School Resource Officer.
Among his many acts of service, Edwards purchases and prepares food for students. In addition to that, Edwards has developed relationships built on trust that have been critical in proactively ensuring the safety of all Central High students and staff.
Edwards also acts as a mentor, encouraging students to be their best selves and pursue their dreams.
Lieutenant Rob Taylor, who nominated Edwards for recognition, said, “After visiting Central to familiarize myself with the campus, staff and day-to-day operations, I was amazed at the relationships that Tim has carved out with the students and staff. I found that multiple students engaged him with respect and affection. He is most definitely a figure who has established trust with these young people, and they were comfortable interacting with him.”
Arim Ismail – Crisis Intervention Award
Officer Ismail was selected to receive the Crisis Intervention Award for her efforts to deescalate a tense situation in early November.
On November 9, 2023, Ismail responded to the Motel 6 on Harry Lane Boulevard alongside of members of the KPD co-response team. Their response was in regards to a welfare check for a man who was acting erratic and likely in the throes of a crisis. After attempting to talk to the man through the door for an extended period of time, without any additional course of action, officers left the scene.
However, Ismail was requested back to the scene several hours later due to a report that the same man had caused a disturbance in the lobby. Ismail again attempted to talk to the man through a locked motel door. This time, she was able to develop a rapport with the subject and gain his trust.
Due to those efforts, the man exited the room and agreed to be transported to a nearby hospital for a mental health evaluation. Ismail also worked to provide additional resources that were available to assist the subject of that call.
In her nomination form, it was said that, “Officer Ismail recognized that (the subject) was experiencing a crisis moment and took the steps and time to rebuild his trust in law enforcement and helped him get the resources he needed.”
Emma Kelly – December Employee of the Month
Emma, a member of the Crime Analysis Unit, was selected to receive the December Employee of the Month Award for her invaluable assistance on the investigation into a series of car burglaries that happened in the Lakeshore Park area. Thanks to her above-and-beyond work and research, that investigation resulted in 33 criminal charges on subjects from an organized theft ring that was identified by officers in Lexington, Kentucky.
Property Crimes Unit Sergeant Pete Franzen said, “This is but one example of the numerous times that Ms. Kelly has happily put forth the extra effort when asked by the Property Crimes Unit. Ms. Kelly’s interest in solving crimes goes far beyond numbers crunching. She has a drive to identify offenders through her work and keeps an on-going dialogue with Property Crimes Detectives.”
Cody Lawson – November Employee of the Month Award
Crime Scene Technician Cody Lawson was selected to receive the November Employee of the Month Award for her day-to-day contributions to support Field Operations officers and Investigations Bureau detectives throughout the month.
Those contributions included a busy night in the fall of 2023, when Lawson responded to both a pedestrian-involved crash and a single-car fatality in succession.
It was said that “Lawson went above and beyond on both scenes. It was a very busy night for the officers on patrol. Her willingness to confiscate evidence for the officers on scene was greatly appreciated by everyone.”
Sergeant Kristin Cox, who nominated Lawson, said, “Cody is regularly looking for ways to work and help the unit. As her Sergeant I have received numerous compliments from those within the unit stating Cody went out of her way to switch shifts, work overtime, or assist in calls for service when she can. Although Cody has only been in the unit a short period of time, she has shown a great eagerness to learn and grow as well.”
Jasmine Reed and Tyler Wiggins – December Officer of the Month
Officers Reed and Wiggins were recognized for their efforts during an incident that happened on December 12, 2023, which resulted in the arrest of numerous armed juveniles.
On that day, Officer Reed spotted a stolen car on Edington Road near Maryville Pike. Reed saw at least three masked individuals inside of the car, which eluded an attempted stop initiated by Reed’s backup officer, Wiggins.
Reed continued to look for the car and made contact with a resident on Martin Mill Pike. In the course of the investigation, officers learned that multiple suspects from the stolen car were hiding in a camper in the yard of a home on Martin Mill Pike.
After officers arrived at the scene, several suspects eventually voluntarily exited the camper, but one suspect remained inside who was armed with a loaded handgun and rifle.
Crisis negotiators were requested to respond to the scene. In the interim, Officer Wiggins was able to establish a rapport with the suspect. Wiggins eventually convinced the suspect to set down his weapons and exit the camper. Wiggins remained in contact with the suspect until negotiators arrived on scene and took over command. The suspect was eventually taken into custody by the KCSO SWAT team, who responded to assist.
Sergeant Michael Tucker, who nominated Reed and Wiggins for consideration, said, “Officer Reed should be recognized for her persistence which resulted in the capture of a total of seven armed juveniles, six of whom were not residents of Knoxville. Given the nature of their behavior, it is likely that Officer Reed prevented a major crime from occurring. Officer Wiggins should be recognized for his calm, collected demeanor and his ability to effectively communicate with the suspect. Officer Wiggins’ actions deescalated a tense scene and bought time for specialized units to arrive.”
Morgan Walton – November Officer of the Month
Officer Walton was selected to receive the November Officer of the Month Award for her quick thinking and decisive, selfless actions.
On November 4, 2023, Walton responded to multiple reports of a car travelling at an extremely slow speed in the middle lane of I-40 West. Walton quickly located the car near I-275, which was driving at 10 miles per hour or less. Walton made numerous attempts to get the driver’s attention, and ultimately learned that he was unresponsive and likely experiencing a medical emergency.
Due to the danger the situation presented to both the driver and other motorists on the road, Walton made the decision to pull in front of the car in an effort to safely decelerate it. Walton quickly maneuvered in front of the car, allowed the car to strike the rear of her patrol cruiser, and safely brought it to a stop. Aid was then quickly administered to the driver.
Officer J.D. Hopkins, who nominated Walton for award consideration, said, “Officer Walton’s immediate response, immediate scene observations and subsequent decisive actions to stop the vehicle, all while placing herself in jeopardy of serious bodily injury from a moving vehicle on the interstate, deserve recognition.”
