Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and Police Chief Sterling Owen today named Officer Greg Coker the Officer of the Month for January 2006. Officer Coker has been with the department since January 1990.

Chief Owen said that on January 10, 2006 at approximately 3:45 p.m., School Resource Officer Greg Coker was at Austin East High School when a report of shots fired in the area was dispatched to all officers. Several students quickly advised Officer Coker that the shots had occurred from behind the school near Hembree Street. As Officer J.D. Hopkins was responding, he observed a blue Ford Expedition fleeing from the area. When Officer Coker attempted to approach the Expedition after it had stopped due to traffic, the vehicle fled again. Both Officer Coker and Hopkins followed the vehicle until the vehicle stopped on Linden Ave and the driver fled from the vehicle.

Chief Owen said, "As Officer Coker was apprehending one suspect, he noticed a passenger in a car on Linden Avenue that was wanted for questioning in a recent murder. Officer Coker, while still securing his suspect, radioed to other officers the vehicle's description and location of the possible murder suspect. As a result, that car was stopped and the juvenile murder suspect was apprehended."

In addition to the murder suspect arrest, both suspects from the Expedition were also apprehended without incident. The three suspects arrested included:

Eugene Brown, 14 years old, charged with one count of murder (Jermont Jarnigan 010606)

Carl Kincaid, DOB 12-07-83, Charged with Aggravated Armed Robbery (Individual at the Pilot, 3004 Magnolia)

Richard Hennessy Christof, 02-15-85, Accessory After the Fact (Individual at the Pilot, 3004 Magnolia)

Mayor Haslam said, "Officer Coker showed a tremendous dedication to his job and to the safety of our citizens. We commend him for his actions that resulted in the arrest of three suspects."

Chief Owen said, "Officer Coker exhibited tremendous focus during a high stress level in the apprehension of one suspect while still maintaining knowledge of his surroundings and relaying the information on the wanted juvenile suspect to other officers. His actions were instrumental in the capture of an individual who was a danger to the community."

Officer Coker will receive a signed certificate from the Mayor and Chief along with a free dinner from Ruby Tuesday Restaurant.