KPD officers no longer authorized to work extra jobs at bars, five businesses impacted

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) – Knoxville Police Department officers are no longer authorized to work extra jobs at five Knoxville area bars following a change from Chief Paul Noel, who began his role just weeks ago.

The change impacted five area businesses where officers were previously allowed to work extra jobs, according to KPD Communications Manager Scott Erland. These included: Carleo’s Lounge & Night Club, Southbound and Wagon Wheel in the Old City, the Embassy Suites Rooftop Bar on Gay Street and the Uptown Bar & Grill on the Cumberland Avenue strip.

Erland told WVLT News that the city employment policy gives the Chief of Police the authority to restrict officers from working extra jobs for any business at their discretion. Before the change, under the leadership of Chief Eve Thomas, who retired in May, officers were only permitted to work outside bars, according to Erland.

A section of the existing policy can be read below:

11. An employee will not engage in any secondary employment that constitutes a threat to the status or dignity of the police as a professional occupation. Examples of employment presenting a threat to the status or dignity of the police profession are:

b. Any employment involving the sale, manufacture or transport of alcoholic beverages as the principal business, or any employment by an establishment that sells or otherwise provides alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises, except extra-duty employment for special events authorized by the City of Knoxville Office of Special Events. In the discretion of the Chief of Police, with the concurrence of the Law Director as the ethics officer for the City of Knoxville, permission may be granted for extra-duty employment by establishments selling or providing alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises where there is a demonstrated need for additional police services, but such extra-duty employment shall be limited to providing security outside the premises of said establishments.

Chief Noel was sworn in on June 13 inside the Civic Auditorium. He was quick to begin his role and announced future plans, including that he had already started the process to register Knoxville into the ethical policing project, Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) Project. He said it would encourage officers to intervene when they see their colleagues causing harm to others or making costly mistakes.

During his ceremony, Chief Noel said he was focused on four guiding principles: “crime prevention, community relationships, culture change and career development.”

Moving forward, Chief Noel also told WVLT News he is committing to hiring more people of color, filling vacancies at the top and building strong partnerships with a community that said they’ll be holding him to his words.