NEWS RELEASES City of Knoxville, Tennessee Bill Haslam, Mayor

Work with K-9 Unit and Mobile Field Force Unit Earns 2007 Officer of the Year Honors for West District Sergeant

KPD View Officer Award Winners View Civilian Award Winners May 7, 2008 - Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and Police Chief Sterling Owen named Sgt. Will Wilson the Officer of the Year for the Knoxville Police Department. Sgt. Wilson has been with the department since November 1994. Chief Owen said that Sgt. Wilson is the supervisor for the West District G-Squad, which is mainly comprised of our most junior officers who need the most guidance and consistent hands-on leadership. Sgt. Wilson also serves as the Mobile Field Force Commander (MFF) and the K-9 Unit Supervisor. Chief Owen said, “Appointed as the Mobile Field Force Commander in 2006, Sgt. Wilson immediately sought training and began to re-shape and configure the MFF into a more effective unit.” “His foresight and leadership of the unit was brought to fruition with the coordinated response of the numerous agencies who worked so well together to provide public safety during the protests of May 26 and June 16, 2007,” said Chief Owen. Sgt. Wilson also accepted the challenge of the supervision of the K-9 Unit. He has worked closely with the unit by providing challenges and goals in order to instill confidence within and outside the unit in the expertise and abilities of the handlers. He has been instrumental in the unit acquiring a certified trainer as well as four new canines and handlers, which are now able to provide the department with 24 hour K-9 Unit coverage. Chief Owen said, “Sgt. Wilson is a supervisor, leader, and officer who exemplifies the KPD Philosophy each and every day and in doing so, he is consistently ready to accept and meet any new challenges.” Mayor Haslam said, “Sgt. Wilson has committed a great amount of personal time to his career and the department. On behalf of all our citizens, we commend him on a job well done.”

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