Knoxville Police Department leaders are encouraged by the positive strides being made to hire more officers in 2025 and beyond. 

After running three Basic Recruit Academy classes in 2024, KPD is slated to run three more academy classes this year. 

The 2025-A Basic Recruit Class that started in January is KPD’s biggest class in recent memory and includes 39 recruits that are quickly approaching the halfway point of the training academy. Another class is scheduled to start in May, with more than 30 recruits likely, as well.

KPD Communications Manager Scott Erland believes a number of factors are contributing to improved recruitment efforts:

• An aggressive online marketing campaign- locally and nationally
• Better recruitment strategies around new customer relations management software
• And, constant evaluation of KPD’s hiring timeline and process to make it as fair and efficient as possible

Erland adds, “We strongly believe that we are building a culture and team environment at the KPD that people who have a heart for service want to be a part of.

“We feel that those factors collectively are making a meaningful and measurable difference in our recruitment outcomes.  If those trends continue, we are optimistic that we will be approaching full staffing in the near future.”