Robin Smith Archives - Oak Ridge Today

Updated: Chief Akagi retiring

Posted at 2:17 pm August 17, 2018
By John Huotari 28 Comments

Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi

Note: This story was last updated at 10 a.m. Aug. 18.

Oak Ridge Police Chief James T. “Jim” Akagi is retiring in October, officials said Friday.

The retirement announcement was made by the Oak Ridge City Manager’s Office.

Akagi has been police chief since July 1, 2011. His retirement is effective October 20.

Akagi has led 64 sworn members of the Oak Ridge Police Department, managed the acquisition of new equipment for the department, achieved funding for a new radio and police software system, and increased training opportunities for Oak Ridge officers, a press release said. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge police chief placed on leave

Posted at 10:55 pm July 19, 2018
By John Huotari 42 Comments

Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi

Note: This story was updated at 12:35 a.m.

Oak Ridge Police Chief James T. Akagi has been placed on administrative leave, and Deputy Chief Robin Smith has taken over daily operations for now, City Manager Mark Watson said Thursday.

Akagi is on leave until Watson can meet with him after returning from a trip to China, the city manager said.

Three anonymous letters were sent in June and July to Watson, Oak Ridge City Council members, other law enforcement officials, and local media outlets. The letters have been reviewed and have been a catalyst for concern, Watson said Thursday.

The letters are not signed, but they said they are from Oak Ridge Police Department employees. One letter said it represented an “overwhelming majority” of ORPD members. Among other things, the letters raised concerns about harassment, a hostile work environment, hostility, retaliation, policy decisions, and turnover. The letters ask for Akagi’s removal or termination, and an investigation by the Tennessee Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission or some other “independent and unbiased agency.” They said conditions have not improved since the 2015 review by the Municipal Technical Advisory Service at the University of Tennessee and have gotten worse instead. [Read more…]

Girl donates stuffed animals for children in stressful situations

Posted at 12:53 pm February 3, 2018
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Cynthia Barreira brought dozens of stuffed animals contributed by her 10-year-old daughter to the Oak Ridge Police Department for staff to pass out to children during stressful incidents. Also pictured above are ORPD Chief Jim Akagi, right, and Deputy Chief Robin Smith. (Photo by ORPD)

A 10-year-old girl has donated dozens of stuffed animals to the Oak Ridge Police Department, which staff can pass out to children during stressful incidents.

The stuffed animals were brought to the Police Department by the girl’s mother, Cynthia Barreira. The ORPD reported the donation on Wednesday.

Man surrenders after allegedly holding 9-year-old girl hostage

Posted at 9:02 pm January 12, 2017
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

New York Avenue Man Surrenders Jan 12 2017

A man surrendered to Oak Ridge police after allegedly holding a 9-year-old girl hostage on Norton Road for about 1.5 hours on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 10:15 p.m.

A man who had allegedly taken a nine-year-old girl hostage and was armed with a rifle when police responded to a family disturbance peacefully surrendered to Oak Ridge police officers after about 1.5 hours of negotiations on Thursday, authorities said.

The child was rescued, and the armed suspect was taken into custody, the Oak Ridge Police Department said.

No injuries were reported after the man, later identified as Robert Foreman, 36, of Oak Ridge, surrendered. Part of New York Avenue was closed Thursday evening as officers negotiated with Foreman and set up a perimeter.

Foreman’s relationship to the girl wasn’t immediately clear Thursday. His motive also wasn’t clear. [Read more…]

Miraculous: Woman survives when trailer, small loader crash into car

Posted at 8:41 pm September 2, 2016
By John Huotari 8 Comments

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Rescuers said it was a miracle that a woman survived when a trailer carrying a small loader crashed into her Toyota Camry on Emory Valley Road on Friday evening, Sept. 2, 2016. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 9:30 p.m.

Rescuers said it was a miracle that a woman survived when a trailer carrying a small loader crashed into her Toyota Camry on Emory Valley Road on Friday evening.

It took the Oak Ridge Fire Department about 55 minutes to remove the woman, who was pinned inside the car. She was flown by a Lifestar medical helicopter to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville.

The woman, who was not identified, was talking to rescuers, authorities said. Her condition wasn’t clear, but she was reported to be conscious and alert.

“That’s probably the worst extrication I’ve seen where the person was still alive,” Oak Ridge Fire Chief Darryl Kerley said. “There was an angel with her today.” [Read more…]

Motorcyclist, 21, flown to UT hospital after crash with Electric Department truck

Posted at 1:33 pm August 14, 2016
By John Huotari 6 Comments

Oak-Ridge-Turnpike-and-Illinois-Avenue-Crash-Aug-14-2016

The Oak Ridge Police Department investigates a crash between a motorcycle and a city electric truck at the intersection of Oak Ridge Turnpike and Illinois Avenue on Sunday morning, Aug. 14, 2016. The electric truck is in the background at right. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 9:30 p.m.

A 21-year-old motorcyclist was flown to the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville after crashing into an Oak Ridge Electric Department utility truck at the intersection of Illinois Avenue and Oak Ridge Turnpike on Sunday morning, authorities said.

The motorcyclist, identified as Brandon W. Wyrick of Clinton, was going north on a 1999 Yamaha V-Star on Illinois Avenue when he did not stop at a red light at Oak Ridge Turnpike, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said in a preliminary report.

The Electric Department’s 2011 Freightliner was going south on Oak Ridge Turnpike and was legally going through the intersection at Illinois Avenue when Wyrick failed to stop, the THP said. The motorcycle hit the right front side of the utility truck.

Wyrick was treated at the crash site and taken to Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge by an Anderson County EMS ambulance. He was then flown to UT Medical Center by a Lifestar helicopter, the Oak Ridge Police Department said in a press release.

Wyrick’s condition was reported to be critical at about 9:30 p.m. Sunday, according to UT Medical Center. [Read more…]

Police: Motorcyclist dies in two-vehicle crash on North Illinois Avenue

Posted at 10:58 pm January 31, 2016
By John Huotari 7 Comments

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Authorities said a motorcyclist died in a collision with a car on North Illinois Avenue at the western entrance to the Kroger shopping center at about 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016. Above, the Oak Ridge Police Department and Clinton Police Department reconstruct the crash. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 11:23 p.m.

A motorcyclist died in a collision with a car on North Illinois Avenue on Sunday evening, authorities said.

The collision between a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle and Cadillac STS four-door sedan was reported at about 6 p.m. Sunday, Oak Ridge Police Department Deputy Chief Robin Smith said.

Smith said he didn’t immediately have details on whether the driver of the car was injured.

The crash occurred on North Illinois Avenue between Oak Ridge Turnpike and Ivanhoe Road, at the western entrance to Westcott Center, the Kroger shopping center.
[Read more…]

Smith named deputy police chief

Posted at 10:05 pm December 14, 2015
By Oak Ridge Today Staff 1 Comment

Former Captain Robin Smith, right, has been promoted to deputy chief of the Oak Ridge Police Department. Smith is pictured above with ORPD Chief Jim Akagi. (Photo by City of Oak Ridge)

Former Captain Robin Smith has been promoted to deputy chief of the Oak Ridge Police Department.

Smith was promoted on November 8. City officials said he will still oversee the ORPD Patrol Division and SWAT Team.

“He is a valuable member of the ORPD executive and senior leadership teams,” the City of Oak Ridge said of Smith. “Both the ORPD and the Oak Ridge community are very fortunate to have him as a deputy chief, and look forward to his leadership and talent in improving public safety for all of the great Oak Ridge citizens.” [Read more…]

Third shooting on Wakefield Road in 48 hours, followed by car crash, fleeing driver

Posted at 2:25 am September 22, 2015
By John Huotari Leave a Comment

Car Crash at Hilltop and West Outer Drive

Police say the driver of this silver Infiniti fled on foot after a three-car crash at North Illinois Avenue and West Outer Drive on Monday night, just a few hours after a shooting was reported a short distance away on Wakefield Road, the third shooting there in 48 hours. Police have since described the driver as a person of interest in the Monday night shooting and crash. Pictured above at center are ORPD officers James Elkins and Garrett Robbins. (Photo by John Huotari/Oak Ridge Today)

Note: This story was last updated at 12:35 p.m.

A shooting was reported on Wakefield Road on Monday evening, the third shooting on the street in 48 hours. The shooting was followed a few hours later by a three-car crash at the intersection of West Outer Drive and North Illinois Avenue. Police couldn’t immediately say if the two events were connected.

There didn’t appear to be any injuries in the shooting, which occurred sometime between about 8:15 and 8:30 p.m. and left some 21 casings in the street. Residents in one Wakefield Road home said two bullets pierced a bedroom, but fortunately, no one was in it at the time.

Authorities said minor injuries were reported in the crash, which was reported at about 10:15 p.m. near the Ian’s Market gas station and convience store. One person reportedly fled from the crash, and one witness said the man darted into a wooded area behind the east corner of Ian’s Market, headed north toward Oliver Springs.

The Oak Ridge Police Department and Anderson County Sheriff’s Department swarmed the area. An ACSD canine unit responded to help search for the person of interest, but as of early Tuesday morning, officers hadn’t found the man. [Read more…]

Power outages affect several hundred; two cars crash into snow plows

Posted at 1:40 pm February 17, 2015
By John Huotari 2 Comments

Lafayette Drive is pictured above on Tuesday morning at the intersection with Laboratory Road in central Oak Ridge. (Photos by Daniel Powers)

Several hundred customers were affected by power outages overnight but most lost power for less than an hour, and two cars crashed into city snow plows, making one of the plows unusable for now, officials said.

There were no reports of injuries in the few minor crashes that occurred overnight.

Officials continued to urge drivers to stay off roads unless absolutely necessary. Some of them remain covered in ice, and vehicles that are required to travel, such as postal vehicles and Oak Ridge Public Works trucks, are using chains or studded tires.

Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said the largest power outage was in an area around Montana Avenue and West Outer Drive at about 6 p.m. Monday. It affected about 440 people, but only lasted about 45 minutes, according to preliminary information, Suggs said. [Read more…]

Guest column: School safety update

Posted at 12:40 am March 27, 2014
By Trina Baughn Leave a Comment

Trina Baughn

Since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Oak Ridge Schools and the Oak Ridge Police Department (ORPD) last August, a number of significant safety improvements have occurred within our schools including physical security upgrades, leadership adjustments, and increased police presence.

As you may know, this time last year, we had only one School Resource Officer (SRO) covering our entire school district. Now we have two full time SROs, two Support Services Unit (SSU) officers manning satellite offices, and the Adopt-a-Cop program, which provides officer time in all of our schools via daily check-ins. A third satellite office is in the works as ORPD Chief Jim Akagi and Superintendent Bruce Borchers are presently working on stationing an SSU officer at Robertsville Middle School.

Chief Akagi recently invited me to join our SROs on a walk-along at the high school to personally observe the impact of these changes. He also encouraged me to tag along with our S.W.A.T. team during a threat assessment exercise. I took him up on both offers and, as a result, am sharing what I learned. [Read more…]

Animal Shelter closure extended as workers battle deadly canine virus

Posted at 9:15 pm March 10, 2014
By John Huotari 6 Comments

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter on Belgrade Road is pictured above.

The Oak Ridge Animal Shelter will remain closed two more days as workers battle an outbreak of deadly canine distemper.

On Wednesday, the Oak Ridge Police Department announced that two cases of canine distemper had been confirmed by an Oak Ridge veterinarian’s office and said a dog adopted in January may have contracted the often-fatal virus—although it wasn’t clear when or where.

The shelter was temporarily closed this past Thursday, and it was expected to re-open on Tuesday. But on Monday, Oak Ridge Police Department Lt. Robin Smith said it will now re-open this coming Thursday, giving the shelter staff more time to clean and disinfect. He said the staff is taking precautions to make sure they have totally eradicated the disease.

Smith said 30 dogs at the shelter had to be euthanized because of the virus. The staff had to assume that all the dogs at the shelter had been exposed, Smith said. He said some shelter dogs that showed symptoms were tested, and some results came back positive. [Read more…]