Knoxville, TN (WOKI / WVLT) – The Knoxville Police Department is being recognized for strong performance following a recent national evaluation of officer interactions with the public.
KPD participated in the National Policing Institute’s Rapid Performance Assessment, a tool designed to measure and improve policing practices through analysis of body-worn camera footage.
As part of the assessment, nearly 7,000 police interactions from 2025—totaling more than 2,100 hours of video—were randomly reviewed across the department’s three patrol districts.
The results showed that 93 percent of interactions were rated positive or very positive. The assessment also found that officers communicated and listened effectively in 97 percent of interactions.
The report highlighted several key strengths, including officers’ ability to de-escalate and calmly resolve situations.
“We were proud to participate in this assessment and to be at the forefront of this emerging resource,” said Police Chief Paul Noel. “I’m especially proud of the professionalism our officers demonstrate every day and their ability to handle difficult situations.”
While the evaluation praised overall performance, it also identified areas for improvement, particularly in the early stages of interactions involving argumentative individuals.
The National Policing Institute recommended that KPD continue reinforcing its strengths, expand scenario-based training, and use ongoing data measurement to track performance improvements.
Officials say the assessment provides valuable insight into officer-community interactions and will help guide future training and development efforts.
