Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and Police Chief Sterling Owen today announced Officers J.D. Hopkins and Jonathan Chadwell as the . Hopkins has been with the department since December 1999. Chadwell, who is in his third phase of the Field Training and Evaluation Program, will complete his first year of service in November.

Chief Owen said that on June 29 at approximately 2:00 a.m., Officers Hopkins and Chadwell were conducting a field interview with a suspicious person near the Veteran's Cemetery on Tyson Street. During the interview they heard noises coming from the office area of the cemetery.

The officers tactically approached the entrance to the property and observed a male using a large metal pipe to force entry into the building. Officer Hopkins approached the male and identified himself as an officer and ordered the suspect to halt. The suspect quickly turned toward Officer Hopkins and stepped toward him while wielding the pipe in a threatening manner. Officer Hopkins moved to avoid the use of lethal force, which allowed the suspect an opportunity to flee the area.

Officer Hopkins chased the suspect on foot through the cemetery while Officer Chadwell used his patrol car to parallel the chase. The suspect, 51-year-old Michael Sizemore, was apprehended with a minimal use of force and charged with Burglary, Aggravated Assault, Evading Arrest and Resisting Arrest.

Chief Owen said, "While performing the dual roles of patrol officer and field training officer, Officer Hopkins illustrated the importance of proactive policing in fighting crime because the apprehension of the suspect was the direct result of the officers proactively patrolling their beat."

"Officer Chadwell reacted quickly by utilizing the police cruiser in an effort to contain the suspect in the dark cemetery," said Chief Owen.

Mayor Haslam said, "Officers Hopkins and Chadwell deescalated a volatile situation, averted the use of deadly force, and arrested a potentially dangerous suspect in the act of burglarizing the Veteran's Cemetery before the crime was even reported to police. A job well done by both officers."

Both officers will receive a signed certificate form the Mayor and Chief along with a free diner from Ruby Tuesday Restaurant.