Community Engagement Response Team

Community Engagement Response Team

The Knoxville Police Department’s Community Engagement Response Team was officially stood up as a full-time unit in early 2021. 

Unlike regular patrol officers, members of CERT are not dispatched to calls for service. Instead, they focus their proactive efforts on areas that are most impacted by violence and known, repeat violent offenders. 

CERT also works to facilitate positive community engagement through visible presence and walking patrols in neighborhoods impacted by violence.