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Record: Fired KCSO deputy 'admitted to conduct' that violates department general orders

Deputy Tim Stidam was fired effective March 25. An investigation into his conduct will be forwarded to the Knox County DA.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — A Knox County deputy under investigation for unspecified bad conduct admitted violating numerous department orders before he was fired, records show.

Knox County Sheriff Tom Spangler fired Tim Stidam effective Friday, March 25, for undisclosed reasons that apparently include possible criminal charges, an announcement Monday showed.

The office's Office of Professional Standards looked into his unspecified conduct on Feb. 23, the letter states.

"In your interview, you admitted to conduct that you know to be violations of the General Orders of this agency," the sheriff wrote in a March 17 hand-delivered letter to Stidam.

The sheriff told the deputy that his conduct "renders you unsuitable for continued employment with the Knox County Sheriff's Office," the letter states.

Spangler wrote at the time that under Merit Council rules, Stidam had three days to submit a written explanation answering the internal investigative charges.

"(If) no such explanation is received within the time limit, your termination will be effective on March 25, 2022."

Stidam, who had worked for KCSO since 2013, offered no written response.

Spangler's letter also noted the deputy had "violated" about a half-dozen department general orders.

A second letter dated Monday, March 28 that was included in Stidam's Merit System file officially confirmed his termination.

On Monday, a KCSO spokeswoman said the department's internal investigation would be turned over to Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen.

"There is an active internal and potential criminal investigation on-going into (Stidam's) conduct while on duty. We will not make any additional statements or comments until the investigation(s) are closed and Attorney General Charme Allen has reviewed the file," the Monday statement reads.

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