Oak Ridge Today

DA: Crime down 12 percent in Anderson County

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Dave Clark

Dave Clark

Crime dropped 12 percent in Anderson County and its cities in 2014, Anderson County District Attorney General Dave Clark said Wednesday.

It’s the eighth year in a row that crime has dropped, according to statistics released by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Clark said in a press release. He said crime is down 42 percent in the county and its cities during the past eight years.

During that same period, crime was down in Tennessee by an “impressive” 16 percent, Clark said.

“However, locally, we have more than doubled the crime reduction that has been accomplished across the state,” he said. [Read more…]

Investigation continues, suspect info released in Y-12 FCU kidnapping, extortion

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Oak Ridge Police Department at Y-12 Federal Credit Union

Oak Ridge Police Department officers and detectives responded to the Y-12 Federal Credit Union on Tuesday morning, April 28, for what was later reported to be a kidnapping and extortion plot involving a credit union employee’s family and the Oak Ridge branch of the credit union.

 

Authorities continue to investigate a kidnapping and extortion plot involving the Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge last week, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation has released some information describing the three suspects.

The alleged kidnapping and extortion started at about 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, April 28, when a credit union employee’s family was kidnapped from the Whittington Creek neighborhood in west Knox County in an effort to extort money from the credit union, the FBI said in a press release on Wednesday.

“The employee’s family was held at gunpoint for a period of time before being released in the Gettysvue Country Club parking lot in Knoxville, around 9:25 a.m.,” the release said. “Upon being released, the victims were able to seek help from a nearby residence. During the law enforcement response, the suspects fled and remain at large. No injuries were reported, and no money was taken from the credit union.” [Read more…]

Man who allegedly stabbed vehicle, chased driver faces assault charges

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Timothy Jim Phillips

Timothy Jim Phillips

An Oak Ridge man who allegedly stabbed the hood of a vehicle and chased the driver at an apartment complex on Monday morning has been charged with aggravated assault and vandalism, authorities said.

The driver fled the vehicle, but he was allegedly chased by Timothy J. Phillips, 55, a press release said.

“The driver of the vehicle eventually punched Mr. Phillips in the head, causing him to fall to the ground,” said the release, from the City of Oak Ridge. “The driver of the vehicle sustained a minor cut on one finger; Mr. Phillips had a laceration on his forehead and was bleeding from the mouth.”

Phillips was arrested and taken to the Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge, where he received treatment for his injuries. He was then taken to the Anderson County Detention Facility in Clinton and charged with aggravated assault and vandalism, the press release said. [Read more…]

Vehicles ram each other, shots fired before police arrest OS man

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David Ramsey Dunlap

David Ramsey Dunlap

A car and a truck rammed each other during a police chase on Wednesday night, and the driver of the sedan fired shots at the truck before he was arrested, authorities said.

It started after Oak Ridge Police Department officers responded to a disturbance at a home in the Hendrix Creek subdivision at about 10:53 p.m. Wednesday, April 29. Officers learned that a man, later identified as David Dunlap Jr., 44, of Oliver Springs, was at the home, armed with a handgun and threatening to harm others, an Oak Ridge press release said.

When officers responded, they learned that Dunlap was at a home in the Highland View neighborhood. Officers then redeployed to that residence, where they encountered two vehicles, a sedan and a truck, on Outer Drive near New York Avenue traveling at a high rate of speed, the press release said.

“As the vehicles approached the responding officers, Dunlap, who was driving the sedan, fired shots at the truck,” the release said. [Read more…]

POST asks DAs, feds to investigate whether Akagi violated state, federal law

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Tasha Blakney

Tasha Blakney

Chief’s attorney calls it one more effort to vilify Akagi

The organization that certifies police officers in Tennessee has asked state and federal authorities to investigate whether Oak Ridge Police Chief James T. Akagi violated state and federal laws by possessing a firearm after being issued an ex parte order of protection during divorce proceedings in Blount County three years ago.

The April 27 letter from Ray Farris, assistant director of the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Commission, was sent to Mike Flynn, district attorney general in the Fifth Judicial District in Maryville; Dave Clark, district attorney general in the Seventh Judicial District in Clinton; and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee in Knoxville.

“Documents provided to our office indicate that an order of protection was issued by the Blount County Court against Chief Akagi on April 19, 2012,” Farris said in the letter. “During the effective period of this order of protection, Chief Akagi submitted his firearms qualifications scores to the Commission, which appears to be a violation of the aforementioned order of protection.”

But Tasha Blakney, an attorney for the police chief, has said Akagi was not prohibited from carrying a firearm.

“I am absolutely confident that there has been no violation of state or federal law in this family law matter with regard to the ex parte order of protection that was temporarily entered and subsequently dismissed,” Blakney said Thursday. “They simply don’t carry any implications for an individual’s Second Amendment rights. That’s just a function of understanding the way that Tennessee law works.” [Read more…]

The numbers: ORPD turnover 2007-2015

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James T. Akagi

James T. Akagi

Turnover in the Oak Ridge Police Department is one of several issues at the heart of a contentious debate over the ORPD and its chief, James T. Akagi.

But since the debate started in late January, there hasn’t been much public discussion of how the turnover rate compares, in either numbers or percentages, to the rate before Akagi started on July 1, 2011.

Information requested by Oak Ridge Today and provided by the Oak Ridge Personnel Department and Personnel Director Penny Sissom sheds some light. That data goes back more than eight years, starting in Calendar Year 2007. That’s roughly 4.5 years before Akagi started and more than 3.5 years since.

Oak Ridge Today analyzed the data by calendar year (January-December) and fiscal year (July 1-June 30). The data shows that ORPD turnover ebbs and flows from year to year, with a high of 19 and a low of one.

Oak Ridge Police Department Turnover (2007-2015)

Here are the numbers by calendar year (CY), from January to December, based on city data: [Read more…]

MTAS seeks more info on ORPD review, could charge city $50 per hour

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The University of Tennessee agency asked to review the Oak Ridge Police Department has questions about the expanded scope of the inquiry—it could now include all current employees and some former employees—and the Municipal Technical Advisory Service at UT could charge the city $50 per hour for its work on the project.

MTAS had initially proposed a free limited review of turnover, morale, and administrative policies in the Oak Ridge Police Department. That review, which would have interviewed a random sample or cross-section of ORPD employees, was approved by the Oak Ridge City Council during a March 27 special meeting.

But the City Council asked to start over after the initial list of employees to be interviewed was sent to the police chief, city manager, and all Police Department employees, raising concerns about the confidentiality and impartiality of the review.

During an April 21 special meeting, City Council agreed 5-2 to start over by asking MTAS to interview all employees and try to interview former employees who have left since Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi started on July 1, 2011. But that meant the city’s contract with MTAS, which had already started the initial review, had to be renegotiated. [Read more…]

Prom and graduation reminders from the Sheriff’s Department

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Paul White

Paul White

By Sheriff Paul White

Proms and graduations are traditions for our young students and the community. These times celebrate achievements, reflect on the past, and take the first steps into adulthood. Unfortunately, some teenagers believe the deadly mix of alcohol and driving is also a part of this tradition. Too many are injured or killed after the prom or graduation.

Our students headed to the prom and from graduations are reminded not to drink and drive. Deputies with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department will be out in force on prom nights and after graduations. Driving under the influence (DUI), illegal drugs, and underage drinking will get you a ride to jail.

The Sheriff’s Department also reminds teens that getting caught drinking while under the age of 21 can result in losing your driver’s license, getting suspended from school, ejected from sports teams, and even banned from graduation ceremonies. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge branch of Y-12 FCU will remain closed Wed., re-open Thursday

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Oak Ridge Police Department at Y-12 Federal Credit Union

Oak Ridge Police Department officers were at the Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge on Tuesday morning. The branch will remain closed Wednesday and reopen Thursday, although the credit union’s headquarters will be open on Wednesday.

 

The Oak Ridge branch of the Y-12 Federal Credit Union will remain closed Wednesday and re-open Thursday, a spokesman said. The branch was closed Tuesday during an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and Oak Ridge Police Department into a report of a bank robbery, kidnapping, and extortion.

Police responded to the Oak Ridge branch at about 9:15 a.m. Tuesday. There were at least a half-dozen officers and detectives at the scene, and they blocked the entrance to the credit union.

Customers were not able to use the bank while authorities investigated. Chris Smith, vice president of marketing at Y-12 Federal Credit Union, said officials were only allowing staff and investigators to enter on Tuesday morning.

He said the Credit Union branch will remain closed Wednesday and reopen for normal hours on Thursday. But employees remain at the Oak Ridge headquarters, which shares a five-story building with the branch, and all staff will report to work on Wednesday, Smith said Tuesday afternoon. [Read more…]

FBI, ORPD, Knox respond to bank robbery, kidnapping report at Y-12 FCU

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Oak Ridge Police Department at Y-12 Federal Credit Union

Oak Ridge Police Department officers were at the Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge on Tuesday morning. The branch will remain closed Wednesday, although the credit union’s headquarters will be open.

 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, and the Oak Ridge Police Department responded to the Y-12 Federal Credit Union at 501 Lafayette Drive on Tuesday on a report of a bank robbery, kidnapping, and extortion.

Preliminary reports indicate that at about 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, an employee of the credit union and the employee’s family were threatened in an attempt to obtain money from the credit union, an FBI press release said. The employee’s family was held for a period of time before being released in the Gettysvue Country Club parking lot in Knoxville at around 9:25 a.m. During the law enforcement response, the suspects fled, and no injuries have been reported, and no money was taken from the credit union. [Read more…]

Police respond to Y-12 Credit Union, which closes, but not clear why

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Oak Ridge Police Department at Y-12 Federal Credit Union

Oak Ridge Police Department officers were at the Y-12 Federal Credit Union in Oak Ridge on Tuesday morning. The credit union was cordoned off and then closed, but it’s not clear why.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 1:42 p.m.

The Oak Ridge Police Department responded to the Y-12 Federal Credit Union on Tuesday morning, and the bank was cordoned off and then closed but it’s not clear why.

The ORPD has referred questions to the FBI office in Knoxville and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.

The call to the ORPD came in at about 9:15 a.m. Tuesday. Officers blocked the entrance to the credit union, and at one point, they visually checked cars in a parking lot across Midland Road from the bank.

ORPD detectives were at the scene and remained there for at least a few hours afterward. The Credit Union is near the intersection of Lafayette Drive and South Illinois Avenue. [Read more…]

Third Clinton car lot hit by thieves

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Information from WYSH Radio

For the third time in a month, a Clinton auto dealership was hit by thieves over the weekend.

The first two instances occurred at Fox Toyota, where a horse trailer and a 2015 Toyota 4Runner were stolen during the past few weeks.

On Saturday, the Clinton Police Department was called to Ray Varner Ford on Seivers Boulevard on a report of a stolen SUV. When they arrived, officers were told that a black 2012 Ford Explorer valued at $28,000 had been taken from Varner’s lot sometime between March 31, when employees put new tires on it, and Saturday morning. [Read more…]