KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Police Department recognized five employees and one volunteer for their service to the Knoxville community during its annual Employee Recognition Luncheon.
KPD said the six honorees were voted on by the Awards and Commendations Committee, which is made up of various people from across the department.
Officer Colby Chandler and Officer John Martin were honored as the 2023 Officer of the Year recipients.
Chandler has been with the department since 2015. He was nominated to receive the award for both the volume and quality of his efforts to provide investigative support and address violent crime as a member of the Community Engagement Response Team (CERT), according to KPD.
Martin has been with KPD since 2007. He was nominated to receive the 2023 Officer of the Year honors for his efforts as the School Resource Officer to Austin-East High School, KPD said.
“The individuals who were awarded today are shining examples of the best of our department,” Chief of Police Paul Noel said. “Each of them is passionately dedicated to their assignment and helping us however they can to accomplish our fundamental mission as an organization of making Knoxville safer. This recognition is a reflection of the quality of their daily work and the way they represent our agency.”
KPD named Crime Analysis Supervisor Christine Mullan and Violent Crimes Unit Victim Advocate Brandi Carson as the 2023 Employee of the Year honorees.
Carson, who has been with the KPD since 2003, was chosen to receive the award due to her consistent work as the victim advocate for the Homicide and Violent Crime Units, KPD said.
Mullan has been with KPD since 2006. She was selected to receive the 2023 Employee of the Year award for her work as the supervisor of the Crime Analysis Unit.
Veteran Sergeant Rodney Patton was named the 2023 recipient of the Mike Waggoner Leadership Award. He has been with Knoxville Police since 1986 and said the award was a full-circle moment.
"Mike Wagner Award is named after he was a training officer, my academy looked up to him then and I've looked up to him ever since," Patton said. "And to get an award named after him, it's hard to put into words what it means."
He said what's next for him after winning the award is his retirement in eight months.