Former Kansas City, Missouri Police Department Major and Marion, Iowa Chief of Police Joe McHale is set to join the KPD as a Deputy Chief.
On Monday, Chief Paul Noel announced that McHale will join the department to fill the upcoming vacancy left by Deputy Chief Tony Willis, who announced his intentions to retire effective June 1, 2025.
Deputy Chief Willis has been with the Knoxville Police Department for 29 years, serving in a variety of capacities over the time. He was promoted to Deputy Chief in January 2023, overseeing the Field Operations Bureau and Investigations Bureau at various junctures during his tenure as Deputy Chief. Prior to his promotion to Deputy Chief, Willis served in numerous command roles, including as the East District Commander, West District Commander and as a Captain within the Investigations Bureau, where he served as the Tennessee ICAC Task Force Commander.
“Tony has unmatched passion for the job and has remained committed to getting the most violent and dangerous individuals off of the street throughout his career,” Chief Paul Noel said. “I am extremely grateful to him for his nearly three decades of service to our department and community. He was a valued member of our leadership team, and we will greatly miss his presence, experience, and insights.”
McHale will step into the Deputy Chief role with the KPD after spending the past six years as a Senior Research Associate with the Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR). IIR provides training, technical assistance and subject-matter expert guidance for law enforcement agencies all across the country. In his role at IIR, McHale specialized in violence reduction strategies. In November 2024, McHale was awarded the Chairman of the Board’s Award for Excellence, the highest recognition given to one IIR employee annually.
Prior to joining IIR, McHale served as the Chief of Police in Marion, Iowa from 2016-19. He was appointed to that position after a 25-year career with the Kansas City Police Department, where he retired as a Major and the Commander of the East Patrol Division.
“You rarely have the opportunity to hire someone with Chief McHale’s depth of experience and expertise,” said Chief Noel. “His executive leadership background, along with his recent work assisting departments across the country in implementing best practices to reduce crime and build community trust, will be invaluable and immediately elevate our department.”
During his time in Kansas City, McHale helped spearhead KCPD’s violence reduction and focused deterrence efforts, which in 2014 contributed to the largest reduction of homicides and the lowest total number of homicides since 1972.
“I am deeply honored and excited to join the Knoxville Police Department as Deputy Chief,” McHale said. “I am eager to serve the Knoxville community and work alongside the dedicated men and women of the KPD. My initial priority will be to engage directly with citizens and civic leaders to understand their public safety priorities. While I bring 29 years of prior law enforcement experience to the role, I recognize I am joining one of the finest law enforcement agencies in the Southeast. I am confident that together, we can build upon the KPD’s already exceptional reputation and further enhance the safety and well-being of all Knoxville residents.”
Tentatively, McHale is expected to officially start with KPD in late April. He will be assigned as the Deputy Chief over the Investigations Bureau, overseeing all of the investigative functions of the department.
“Although there are many highly qualified internal candidates, this was a rare opportunity to bring in someone with Chief McHale’s exceptional background, experience, and skill set,” said Chief Noel. “Chief McHale understands our mission and vision for the future, and I am confident he will be an outstanding addition to our agency.”
