Oak Ridge Today

Former officers ask for investigation, hearing of officers’ concerns

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Oak Ridge City Council November 2014

Four former Oak Ridge police officers have asked the City Council to investigate some of the concerns recently raised about the Police Department and its chief, or to hear the concerns of officers. The City Council will consider what to do next during its regular meeting on Monday. Pictured above from right in November 2014 are Kelly Callison, Charlie Hensley, Rick Chinn, Mayor Warren Gooch, Chuck Hope, Trina Baughn, and Mayor Pro Tem Ellen Smith. (File photo)

 

Four former Oak Ridge police officers have asked the City Council to investigate some of the concerns recently raised about the Police Department and its chief, or to hear the concerns of officers.

The officers were responding to recent news reports about the police department and concerns raised about its turnover rate, as well as alleged policy violations included in a mid-January grievance filed by former Oak Ridge Police Department Officer Christopher Bayless. A few also cited letters written to the media by former Police Chief David Beams and former Lieutenant Jack Mansfield.

The officers expressed a range of concerns that include the alleged policy violations by Police Chief Jim Akagi and a Blount County order of protection in effect from April 2012 to June 2013, questions about the turnover rate and the chief’s leadership, and decisions about promotions, spending, and weapons. [Read more…]

Baughn asks for investigation of police chief; Hensley seeks reprimand of Baughn

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Trina Baughn

Trina Baughn

Charlie Hensley

Charlie Hensley

Note: This story was updated at 7:08 p.m.

On one hand is Oak Ridge City Council member Trina Baughn. She’s called for an investigation of the police chief.

On the other is City Council member Charlie Hensley. He wants the seven-member Council to reprimand Baughn.

It’s not clear which side, if either, will prevail during the Monday night meeting of the Oak Ridge City Council.

The two Council members, who have a strained relationship, have dueling resolutions that could be considered on Monday. Either one would require a second from another Council member to be discussed and four votes to be approved.

Both resolutions follow more than one week of accusations and allegations that have roiled and divided the community. They have focused, in particular, on the management of the Oak Ridge Police Department by Chief Jim Akagi and raised questions about the turnover rate and whether it is high. Some of the most blistering criticisms have come from former Oak Ridge Police Chief David Beams, who said he still visits the city. [Read more…]

Sheriff: Two arrested on child pornography charges

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Mario Luis Castilla

Mario Luis Castilla

Two Anderson County men have been arrested in unrelated child pornography cases, authorities said.

Mario Luis Castilla, 29, of Offutt Spur Road in Rocky Top, was indicted by the Anderson County Grand Jury on three counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and arrested January 8, Sheriff Paul White said.

Jeremy Keegan Cosgrove, 30, of Jersey Lane in Oak Ridge, was indicted on two counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor and arrested January 31, White said. [Read more…]

Child safety seat checkpoint on Tuesday

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There will be a child safety seat checkpoint on Tuesday, February 3, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Clinton Fire Station #1 on Longmire Road in Clinton.

This event is sponsored by East Tennessee Children’s Hospital, Clinton Fire Department, Anderson County EMS, and the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department. [Read more…]

ORFD will recognize members for cardiac arrest save; honor firefighter, officer

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Steve London

Steve London

Eric Mocsari

Eric Mocsari

The Oak Ridge Fire Department will host a February ceremony that will recognize members for a cardiac arrest save in November and honor the firefighter and fire officer of the year.

The ceremony will be at 6 p.m. February 13 at Fire Station Number 3, which is at 333 Tuskegee Drive.

The Department will recognize Engine Company 2C for the cardiac arrest save, a press release said. This was the sixth cardiac arrest save within the last 12 months for the Oak Ridge Fire Department. [Read more…]

Sheriff: Man caught driving stolen tow truck after burglary, carjacking in Marlow

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John Joseph Pixley II

John Joseph Pixley II

An Oliver Springs man was arrested Friday after he was caught driving a tow truck that he had allegedly stolen after an assault and burglary on Talley Lane in Marlow, authorities said.

John Joseph Pixley II, 27, has been charged with aggravated burglary, burglary, property theft, motor vehicle theft, two counts of aggravated assault, and carjacking, Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said.

In a press release, White said the homeowner had observed a truck on her surveillance cameras, and a suspect, later identified as Pixley, was seen walking around her residence. The owner called the Sheriff’s Communications Center around 8:30 a.m. Friday to report the incident, left work, and drove home. [Read more…]

Akagi responds to criticism from former police chief

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James T. Akagi

James T. Akagi

Note: This story was updated at 8:20 p.m. Jan. 31.

Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi on Friday responded to a critical letter written by his predecessor, former Police Chief David Beams, and published in part in two local newspapers and elsewhere online.

Akagi said he was surprised by Beams’ comments and disagreed with them, but he would be willing to sit down with the former chief to discuss his grievances.

In his Wednesday letter, Beams, who retired in March 2011, several months before Akagi started, took issue with what he said was Akagi’s lack of experience as a municipal police chief; his “irrational, erratic, and vindictive” behavior (as reported to Beams by “countless officers and supervisors”); and his relations with the media, among other criticisms. Beams, who no longer lives in Oak Ridge, said Akagi “needs to go.”

Akagi said he was surprised and dismayed by the comments and how they were delivered. [Read more…]

Watson has confidence in police chief, no further investigation planned

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Mark Watson

Mark Watson

Note: This story was updated at 8:35 p.m. Jan. 31.

Oak Ridge City Manager Mark Watson on Thursday said he has “absolute confidence” in Police Chief Jim Akagi and has no plans to further investigate concerns raised this week by City Council member Trina Baughn.

Baughn raised concerns about the turnover rate in the Oak Ridge Police Department and claims made in a grievance filed by former officer Chris Bayless. In a Sunday email, Baughn said her calculations showed that the police force had lost 30 members in 3.5 years under Akagi, and that equates to 11.7 per year, or an estimated 15 percent turnover rate.

Baughn said some officers who have resigned felt “forced out,” while others who remain are “just counting the days” until they can leave.

“I believe that our turnover issues are not a reflection on the character of the majority of our men and women in blue; rather they are attributable to leadership,” Baughn said in an email to Watson and carbon-copied to Oak Ridge City Council members and reporters.

Trina Baughn

Trina Baughn

She said she is ready to help Watson “immediately address these problems and stabilize our police department.”

But city officials questioned Baughn’s numbers and said they don’t think the turnover rate is significantly out of line with what it has been previously. An average of 7.25 employees per year have left in the last four years due to resignations, retirements, or being asked to leave, Watson said Thursday.

“I don’t think it’s a significant change,” he said. [Read more…]

ORPD: Woman pointing handgun out door, pulling trigger as police arrive

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A woman who said she wanted to end her life was pointing a handgun out the doorway of an Orange Lane home and pulling the trigger as officers arrived on a welfare check Wednesday night, authorities said.

The Oak Ridge Police Department responded to the home at 8:01 p.m. Wednesday. They were dispatched to check the welfare of a resident who was reported to be intoxicated and attempting to commit suicide with a handgun.

“Upon arrival, Officers Derek Burchfield and Timothy Buckner observed a 64-year old female subject at the front door of the residence, pointing a handgun out the doorway and pulling the trigger,” the ORPD and City of Oak Ridge said in a press release. [Read more…]

Roane sheriff plays role in indictment, conviction of Chattanooga pain clinic owner

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Jack Stockton

Jack Stockton

The Roane County Sheriff’s Department was one of several law enforcement agencies that took part in an investigation that led to the indictment and conviction of the owner of two pain clinics, or “pill mills,” in Chattanooga, authorities said.

The Drug Enforcement Administration and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation were also involved in the investigation that led to the convictions of four people, including Barbara Lang, a.k.a. “Aunt Bea,” 60, of Rossville, Georgia, who owned and operated Superior One Pain Clinic and Primary Care Pain Clinic in Chattanooga, federal officials said.

Lang was convicted of drug trafficking and financial crimes. [Read more…]

FBI, KPD arrest Kingston suspect in Y-12 Credit Union robbery

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Y-12 Federal Credit Union Robbery on Clinton Highway

A surveillance photo from the alleged robbery at the Y-12 Federal Credit Union on Clinton Highway on Friday, January 23. (Source: FBI)

The FBI and Knoxville Police Department on Saturday arrested a Kingston man suspected of robbing the Y-12 Federal Union on Clinton Highway on Friday.

Bryan Samples, 43, is being held without bail pending trial, said Marshall Stone, supervisory special agent for the FBI in Knoxville.

The robbery of the Y-12 Federal Credit Union at 6640 Clinton Highway was reported at about 4:49 p.m. Friday. A suspect entered the Credit Union and passed a teller a bank robbery demand note, obtained an undisclosed amount of money, and then fled. [Read more…]

IRS scam reported in Anderson County

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An IRS scam making its way across East Tennessee has now made it to Anderson County, authorities said. During the scam, residents receive telephone calls threatening them with arrest for not paying their taxes.

Here is information from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department regarding the scam: [Read more…]