Blog: KPD News & Alerts

Former Deputy Chief Gary Price Presented with 2020 KPD Legacy Award

Former Knoxville Police Department Deputy Chief Gary Price was presented with the 2020 KPD Legacy Award during a private ceremony at the Public Safety Building on Thursday, December 10. Legacy Award honorees are typically recognized during the department’s Annual Christmas Luncheon, but that event was postponed this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Legacy Award was established in 2018 to recognize former employees, both sworn and civilian, who exemplified exceptional and meritorious service to the Department and the City of Knoxville. Recipients displayed unparalleled honor, integrity and courage throughout their career, demonstrated selfless service to the KPD and the community and, most importantly, left a lasting legacy that inspired future generations of KPD officers.

Nominations may be submitted by any member of the Knoxville Police Department, while family members may also submit nominations. Those nominations are then reviewed and voted on by the Honor Committee.

Price, who served the Knoxville Police Department for 33 years, becomes the 12th recipient of a KPD Legacy Award.

In 2018, eight employees were given Legacy Awards in its inaugural year. Those recognized were Arthur Bohanan, Rudy Bradley, Van Bubel, Danny Crenshaw, Gerald King, James Mason, Gary Shaffer and Tommy Stiles. In 2019, former Chiefs of Police Joe Fowler and Phil Keith and former Captain Charlie Coleman were recognized with 2019 Legacy Awards.

Gary Price Legacy Award

Price entered the training academy in November of 1981. After completing the academy, he was assigned to patrol in the Western Heights and Lonsdale communities, where he developed a reputation that he maintained throughout his career as a trusted and compassionate officer dedicated to preserving the safety of the Knoxville with empathy, respect, firmness and fairness. Price also developed a reputation among his colleagues as an officer that could be counted on without fail to be there when needed, and to act at all times with kindness towards the citizens that he encountered, whether they be suspects, victims or witnesses.

After serving in patrol, Price moved into the Metro Organized Crime Unit in the mid-80s, working in that capacity until promoting to Sergeant and returning to patrol. Price continued to promote through the ranks and serve in a number of capacities before ending his career as a Deputy Chief, the same rank that his father, J.D., held at the KPD years prior.

“I have personally witnessed Gary Price work every day to help someone and to make our police department better,” KPD Lieutenant Doug Stiles said. “I have witnessed Investigator Gary Price of the Organized Crime Unit make efforts above and beyond to address a drug complaint that is affecting a neighborhood. I have witnessed Sergeant Gary Price counsel, coach, mentor and even pastor to our younger officers. I have witnessed Lieutenant Gary Price console people after they have suffered a loss. I have witnessed Captain Gary Price run the Violent Crime Unit with compassion and care for all. I have witnessed Deputy Chief Price sacrifice his time off to be a friend to all that needed a friend.”

Price was viewed as a soft-spoken leader who ushered forth an approach at the KPD that focused as much on engagement as enforcement of the laws to solve problems in the community.

“Gary Price was one of the first examples of what we try to instill into the officers of today – integrity, honesty, toughness, compassion and selfless service,” Stiles said.

Price retired from the Knoxville Police Department in August 2014. At the time of his retirement, he was serving as the Deputy Chief over the patrol division. He continues to serve the Knoxville community as a Chief Criminal Investigator for the Knox County District Attorney’s Office.

Posted by serland On 10 December, 2020 at 2:12 PM