KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Police Department welcomed 16 new members into its ranks Dec. 11, after they concluded 21 weeks of training.
The ceremony was held at South Doyle Middle School, where the 2019-A Basic Recruit Class said the oath and joined the department.
Knoxville Police has been struggling to find new recruits. The department is authorized for 416 people, but before these new recruits joined the force, the department only had 369.
Part of the reason the department has had a hard time finding people to join its ranks is the condition of the economy. When an economy is good, fewer people tend to join the force.