Knoxville, TN (KPD/WOKI) On Monday morning, the Knoxville Police Department received a report that a uniformed KPD officer had shoplifted from a convenience store on Kingston Pike. Upon receipt of that report, an on-duty West District Lieutenant immediately responded to the scene to conduct a preliminary investigation.
The preliminary investigation, including a review of security footage, revealed that at around 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 7, 2025, KPD Officer Tyler Wheeler entered the store while on duty, went behind the counter, took multiple pouches of Kratom and concealed them in his pocket before leaving the store. The pouches were valued at approximately $30 per pouch.
KPD Property Crimes Unit detectives continued the investigation and following consultation with the Knox County District Attorney’s Office, Wheeler was issued a misdemeanor citation for theft on Tuesday night.
Officer Wheeler has been placed on administrative re-assignment with his police powers suspended. The Office of Professional Standards has opened an internal investigation.
Wheeler was sworn in as a KPD officer in September 2023 and was assigned to the West District at the time of the incident.
The following is a statement from Chief of Police Paul Noel:
“Once we were made aware of the accusation, we acted quickly and unambiguously. Based on our investigation, Officer Wheeler’s actions completely disgrace his oath of office and tarnish the reputation of the many men and women of the KPD who serve with integrity. We demand accountability at all levels of our organization and expect our officers to hold themselves to a higher standard. Officer Wheeler’s actions fell woefully short of those expectations and will not be tolerated.”
