May 7, 2014 - Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero and Police Chief David Rausch named Officer Jeff Allgood and Officer Chris Starr the February Officers of the Month for the Knoxville Police Department. Officer Allgood has been with KPD since June 2006. Officer Starr has been with the department since August 2000.

Chief Rausch said that on February 1, 2014, at approximately 2:45 a.m., Officer Allgood and Officer Starr encountered three subjects who were trespassing on Norfolk Southern Railway property near Cooper Street. After checking their names for warrants, the officers released the three with a warning they were trespassing and to stay off the property. Later that morning, Officer Allgood noticed fire coming from the north side of the McClung Warehouse buildings on Jackson Avenue and notified the Knoxville Fire Department.

A few days later the officers discussed the three subjects they had encountered trespassing prior to the fire. They remembered one of the subjects stated she had been very cold and that she needed to get warm. They also reviewed the timeline from when they encountered the subjects to when the fire was reported.

Chief Rausch said, "Based on a hunch, Officer Allgood and Officer Starr notified KFD Arson investigators about the trio of subjects and provided information including their names, descriptions and the timeline from when they had contact with the individuals."

On March 1, 2014, Officer Allgood and Officer Starr responded to an assault call near Market Street and Clinch Avenue where they encountered one of the three individuals caught trespassing a month earlier. While investigating the assault they developed new information on who may have started the warehouse fire. That information was immediately shared with the arson investigators.

Chief Rausch said, "The information provided by Officer Allgood and Officer Starr along with the information developed by the arson investigators resulted in warrants being obtained for the suspects. The suspects were apprehended and charged a day later."

The fire has cost the City of Knoxville in excess of 1.5 million dollars, including the cost of the property, demolition of the burnt structures, and for KFD personnel to extinguish the fire.

Chief Rausch said, "Arson investigators have indicated that had it not been for the information developed and shared by Officer Allgood and Officer Starr, the investigation would not have been successfully completed in such a timely manner."

Suspects Arrested:

Joey Bryant
DOB: 9-4-81
Homeless
Charges: Arson, Criminal Trespassing, Aggravated Assault

Robert Montgomery
DOB: 9-21-53
Homeless
Charges: Arson, Criminal Trespassing, Assault

Click here to view a listing of previous KPD award winners.