Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero and Police Chief David Rausch today named Officer Joseph Bowers the November Officer of the Month for the Knoxville Police Department.  Officer Bowers has been with KPD since November 2007.

On November 17, 2016, at approximately 6:58 am Officer Bowers answered a business burglary at All In One Automotive located at 1925 Callahan Drive.  Several items were stolen including a Dell modem, a credit card machine, and a vehicle jump box with a sticker on the side with the company’s name on it.  Later that day Officer Bowers received a call at The Scottish Inn located at 201 Callahan Drive that stated there was a male painting a double axel flatbed trailer that was believed to have been stolen a few days earlier from a company on Callahan Drive.  When Officer Bowers arrived he noticed a male walking around the trailer and a pickup.  That male, Stephen Butler, denied ownership of both the trailer and the truck. The male then returned to his motel room.  When Officer Bowers was walking around the truck, next to the trailer he noticed a Dell modem with the All In One Automotive sticker lying in the bed of the truck.  

After further investigation by Officer Bowers, it was determined the truck was in fact in the possession of Butler. When Butler opened his motel room door Officer Bowers observed in plain view the items that had been stolen from the All In One Automotive burglary that morning.  The suspect was arrested and more than $12,000 in stolen property was recovered.  

On November 22, 2016 at approximately 5:22 p.m., Cellular Sales located at 4801 Chapman Highway was robbed by multiple suspects.  Three employees and a customer were forced into a back room prior to the suspects fleeing the store.  Officer Bowers was on his way to an extra job after working his regular shift that day, but was continuing to monitor the radio when he observed the suspect’s vehicle on Central Avenue Pike.  As Officer Bowers attempted to conduct a traffic stop the suspects fled where it collided with a vehicle on Cedar Lane.  The suspects fled from their crashed vehicle but were captured in the area while attempting to flee on foot.  

Once again Officer Bowers shows his exemplary skills as an officer and proves that one is never off the clock.

Click here to view a listing of KPD award winners.