The Knoxville Police Department recognized its 2024 award recipients for their above-and-beyond service during its annual Employee Recognition Luncheon on Thursday.

Officer Seth Blaine and Detective Tim Riddle were honored as the 2024 Officer of the Year recipients, while Wellness Coordinator and volunteer chaplain Mike Patty was presented with the 2024 Employee of the Year award.

Lieutenant Michael Geddings was tabbed as the 2024 winner of the Mike Waggoner Leadership Award.

Additionally, Benaiah Helton was selected as the 2024 Explorer of the Year.

The award winners were voted on by the KPD Awards and Commendations Committee, which includes representatives from a wide cross-section of the department.

“Each of the individuals who were recognized today are outstanding representatives of our department,” Chief Paul Noel said. “Regardless of their individual assignments, they have displayed a commitment to making Knoxville safer and our department better. I am grateful for the exceptional work that they do on a daily basis and their invaluable contributions to our agency.”

Seth Blaine – 2024 Officer of the Year

Blaine joined the KPD in 2021 after formerly serving as a deputy with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Blaine served most of 2024 as a patrol officer in the Central District before joining the Co-Responder Unit in December 2024.

Blaine was nominated and selected to receive the Officer of the Year award for the totality of his efforts in 2024.

During the year, while on patrol, Blaine proved to be intimately familiar with his area of responsibility and relentlessly dedicated to making it safer. In 2024, Blaine made over 300 arrests, including one of the department’s top 25 offenders in September. He also assisted Investigations Bureau detectives with the identification of the suspects in four different internal bulletins. Additionally, he issued nearly 300 citations as part of an ongoing commitment to improving roadway safety.

In 2024, Blaine was also presented with the department’s Life-Saving Award for his response to a call in July, when a man fell and was severely injured when a vehicle ran over his arm. Blaine acted swiftly to provide critical medical aid, which likely saved the victim’s life.

In addition to his in-the-field duties, Blaine stepped in to lead the KPD’s Crisis Intervention Team program in 2024 and now serves as the department’s lead CIT instructor. In 2024 alone, he helped host and instruct three local CIT schools, taught CIT and de-escalation fundamentals for three KPD recruit classes and served as a guest presenter at the CIT International Conference in Indianapolis.

Officer Blaine is also a member of the department’s Honor Guard and routinely performs the National Anthem at events hosted by the KPD, including recruit graduations and promotional ceremonies.

Prior to joining the KPD, Blaine served in the Army National Guard from 2024-20. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee.

In his nomination, it was said that Officer Blaine is “the type of officer that every supervisor would love to have on their squad” and that he “fights crime with great passion all while being professional and treating every citizen with great respect and dignity.”

It further stated that “it is apparent that Officer Blaine has a heart for humanity and truly excels in the pursuit to humanize the badge.”

Tim Riddle – 2024 Officer of the Year

Riddle has been with the KPD since 2004 and has served as a Violent Crimes and Homicide detective since 2010.

He was nominated and selected to receive the Officer of the Year award for the consistently high quality of his investigations as well as his steady leadership within the Homicide Unit.

In 2024, Riddle served as the lead investigator for four homicides, all of which were closed by arrest. That includes the heinous murder of Danishka Sibaja-Mejia in April 2024 as well as the double murder of John Goosie and Zachery Herrera in July 2024.

In addition to serving as the lead detective in four murder cases, Riddle led the investigation into eight suicides, six non-fatal shootings, four suspicious deaths and two robberies while assisting multiple additional investigations led by the Homicide Unit.

In 2024, Riddle also took it upon himself to investigate and close two previously unsolved homicides, one from 2013 and another from 2021.

Prior to becoming a detective, Riddle served as a patrol officer from 2005-07 and as a School Resource Office from 2007-10. He is a graduate of Bethel University.

As a veteran detective, Riddle was also praised for the countless hours that he spends mentoring and coaching up less seasoned members of the Homicide Unit.

In his nomination, it was said that “Detective Riddle sacrifices his personal time, family time and even sometimes his health to seek justice for his victims and their families.”

It further stated that, “though this recognition can’t compare to the pride he must feel at the reading of a guilty verdict, it’s still much deserved.”

Michael Geddings – 2024 Mike Waggoner Leadership Award

Geddings, a nearly 23-year veteran of the KPD, was selected to receive the distinguished Mike Waggoner Leadership Award, which is presented annually to an officer who regardless of rank exhibits passion, dedication and thoroughness while inspiring those around them to do the same. Recipients of the award embody the characteristics that the KPD values and strives to instill in future generations of officers.

Geddings joined the KPD in 2002 and currently serves as the Lieutenant over the department’s Community Engagement Response Team – a proactive Field Operations unit that targets known, violent offenders.

Geddings was promoted to Sergeant in 2020 and Lieutenant in 2023. He previously served as a Sergeant over CERT as well as a supervisor within the Organized Crime Unit. During a previous stint in the Organized Crime Unit, Geddings was a Task Force Officer for the Drug Enforcement Administration. Additionally, Geddings has been a member of the department’s Special Operations Squad for 17 years.

While in OCU, Geddings was involved in the dismantling of numerous area drug trafficking organizations, and he is still recognized as a subject-matter expert in drug investigations by local federal and state courts.

In his nomination, it was said that “Lt. Geddings is one of the best leaders in the ranks of KPD. He consistently works hard and lends a helping hand to everyone in need.”

It further stated that “his expertise in drug investigations continues to aid officers in every aspect of this department.”

Geddings has served as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves since 1999.

Mike Patty – 2024 Employee of the Year

Patty has been a part of the Knoxville Police Department for well over two decades, serving as a member of the volunteer Chaplain Corps for 25 years. In April 2024, he was hired as the department’s first-ever Wellness Coordinator.

Patty was nominated and selected to receive the Employee of the Year award for the unyielding and selfless support that he has provided for the members of the KPD, their families and the Knoxville community.

Patty, a long-serving member of the department’s Peer Support Team, was commended above all else for his willingness to help whenever help is needed.

Additionally, in 2024, Patty helped lay the foundation for the KPD’s wellness program, traveling to Louisville, Kentucky to learn about potential strategies that can be implemented at KPD to support employees’ mental, emotional and physical health. He also spearheaded a new initiative called “Fireside Chats”, which are open to all KPD employees.

In October 2024, Patty traveled to San Diego, California to attend the Public Safety Peer Support Association Conference. During that conference, KPD’s Peer Support Team was presented with the national Meritorious Service Award in recognition of the team’s exceptional service.

In his nomination, it was said that “Mike’s love and desire to serve those who serve the community is something to be admired. Mike pushes everyone around him to be their best and is always there to lend an ear or shoulder to cry on.”

Well before starting his tenure as a volunteer KPD chaplain, Patty served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1972-74.

Benaiah Helton – 2024 Explorer of the Year

The Knoxville Police Department’s Explorer Post is a volunteer organization that was formed to provide law enforcement background and training to young men and women. The Explorer Post is open to young people between the ages of 14 and 20.

During Thursday’s luncheon, Helton was presented with the 2024 Explorer of the Year award.

Helton joined the Explorer Post in August 2022 and, since that time, has shown a consistent desire to learn. Helton was commended for his willingness to routinely volunteer to work parades, UT football games and other special events.

In his nomination, it said that “Explorer Helton represents the Post and the City in the highest manner through his volunteer work and daily life.”