Knoxville Police Department swears in new chief of police

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - The Knoxville Police Department is set to swear in the new Chief of Police Monday.

Paul Noel was announced as the new chief at the end of April. He is a 25-year veteran of the New Orleans Police Department and will be replacing Chief Eve Thomas.

Noel, the finalist of 39 applicants, spoke briefly at the announcement, saying he is an advocate for police reform and strengthening community bonds. “First and foremost, I am a crimefighter,” Noel said. “I believe our fundamental mission to our community is to create safe public spaces.”

Noel went on to emphasize how he will prioritize community relationships in Knoxville. He said he wants to work on police transparency and repairing relationships between the Knoxville Police Department and the community, prioritizing “crime prevention, culture change career development and creating safe public spaces.”

Noel was a founding member of the Board of Advisors for Georgetown University’s Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) Project and has also worked with the Ethical Policing is Courageous (EPIC) Program during his time in New Orleans.

At the swearing in ceremony, Noel further mentioned his commitment to transparency while serving. He also said he was honored to begin working at the department, saying “this is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

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