Blog: City Blog

Police, Fire Departments Welcoming Newest Members

Both the Police Department and the Fire Department welcomed new members to their teams in September.

"With the recent hiring of a class of firefighter recruits, our team of firefighters has expanded from 301 to full staffing," Fire Chief Stan Sharp said. "Currently, we have 28 recruits undergoing extensive fire, hazmat, rescue and EMS training at our training center.

"We look forward to graduating them and placing them in the field so we can continue to provide excellent service to our community.”

Sharp said KFD actively recruits and welcomes passionate and enthusiastic firefighters who share the department's commitment to serving others.

Twelve KFD firefighters were promoted last month to new positions. Congratulations!

Twelve KFD firefighters were promoted last month to new positions. Congratulations!

KFD on Sept. 8 also promoted 12 veteran firefighters to new positions - 1 new Assistant Chief, 4 new Captains and 7 new Master Firefighters.

One day before, the Police Department on Sept. 7 celebrated the graduation of 12 recruits from the 2023-A Basic Recruit Academy.

Congratulations to KPD's newest graduating recruit class!

Congratulations to KPD's newest graduating recruit class!

And on Sept. 22, 3 Lateral Transfer Officers were officially sworn in as KPD's newest patrol officers after completing the Lateral Academy. These experienced officers chose to transition their careers to KPD after serving honorably with agencies in Florida, New York and Rhode Island.

This month, KPD is onboarding 11 new Cadets, which is the single biggest Cadet class in Police Department history. The class includes Pellissippi State Community College and University of Tennessee students and, predominantly, Knoxville area natives.

"We are always recruiting and looking for high-character individuals with a passion for service, especially from here in Knoxville," Chief of Police Paul Noel said. "We are grateful for our newest officers, who chose to serve the Knoxville community and worked hard in the Academy to have the opportunity to do just that."

Posted by evreeland On 04 October, 2023 at 6:05 PM