Five Knoxville Police Department officers have been selected as Officer of the Month winners for September 2020, the KPD announced on Thursday.
The KPD typically recognizes those employees who are selected to receive awards during public news conferences. Unfortunately, due to months-long and ongoing COVID-19 restrictions regarding public gatherings and social distance requirements, the KPD was unable to safely host a news conference in the second half of 2020. In lieu of that, the final award and commendation recipients of 2020 will be announced in the coming days via news release and social media.
For September 2020, the KPD Awards and Commendations Committee picked five officers as Officer of the Month recipients. Those officers are Andrew Cloyd, Dylan Bradley, Adam Barnett, Jason Boston and James Gadd.
In addition to their Officer of the Month selection for September, Andrew Cloyd and Dylan Bradley were also selected to receive the Life Saving Medal. The two awards stemmed from the same initial incident.
On July 3, 2020, officers were dispatched to a shooting with multiple victims at Divide Street and Savoy Street. Upon arrival, a total of three victims were found. Officer Bradley applied a tourniquet to the leg of one of the victim’s while working to gain information that proved valuable regarding the shooting. Around that same time, Officer Cloyd located one of the other victims and provided first aid by controlling the bleeding from the victim’s head. KFD and AMR personnel arrived on scene shortly after that and took over patient care. The victims were both transported to the UT Medical Center for severe, critical injuries. Both victims thankfully survived their injuries and the KPD was later informed by hospital staff that the aid officers provided on scene was paramount for that outcome.
Further investigative efforts by the Violent Crimes Unit revealed that the two suspects from that incident were 18-year-old Demarcus Dunaway and a 15-year-old male, and warrants were obtained for those two individuals.
On September 3, 2020, Officers Bradley and Cloyd were among the officers who responded to a residence in the 3300 block of Divide Street, where both Dunaway and the 15-year-old male suspect were located and taken into custody without incident for charges that included three counts of attempted second degree murder.
Both Cloyd and Bradley were recognized by the Awards and Commendations Committee for their efforts both in the initial response, which likely saved the lives of the victims, and in the subsequent arrest of the suspects of a violent crime.
Adam Barnett and James Gadd were selected to receive September Officer of the Month commendations for their efforts that went above and beyond to recover property that was stolen during a car burglary.
On September 16, a victim called to report that his car had been burglarized. Among the items taken during that burglary was one irreplaceable item that held significant sentimental value for the victim and his family. Upon learning that, Officers Barnett and Gadd responded accordingly and immediately worked to locate the suspect. Thanks to those extensive efforts, the suspect was quickly located and charged with auto burglary, while all of the victim’s property was recovered.
When recounting his experience with Officers Barnett and Gadd, the victim stated that “if there were more officers like them, we wouldn’t have any of the problems we have in the world.”
Barnett and Gadd were selected to earn this recognition based on their heartfelt and thorough response to help a victim in need of immediate police intervention and assistance.
Jason Boston was the final recipient of the September Officer of the Month award, earning that distinction for his assistance that went above and beyond the call of duty.
On September 6, Officer Boston responded to a hit-and-run crash on Brakebill Road, where a vehicle had crashed through a farm fence that contained cattle. When Officer Boston arrived on scene, he found the property owner attempting to make repairs to the fence on a dark and isolated portion of the roadway.
Officer Boston conducted his investigation into the hit-and-run crash at the scene, which included securing pictures of the suspect driver and vehicle from a witness for further investigative efforts. After completing that preliminary investigation and initial report, Officer Boston could have simply moved along to his next assignment. However, he saw that the property owner still needed assistance. Officer Boston opted to remain on scene to provide lighting for the repair to the fence and coverage for any approaching traffic. Additionally, it was reported that Boston even physically assisted with the repairs when needed.
Officer Boston, who was commended by the property owner as well, was picked by the Awards and Commendations Committee for his display of extraordinary kindness on an otherwise routine call for service, which aligns with the KPD’s mission to make the lives of those the Department serves better.