TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on May 31, 2024

Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel has appointed retired federal judge Bruce Guyton as deputy chief to oversee the department's Office of Professional Standards, reports the Knoxville News Sentinel. Noel created the position after an internal survey showed widespread dissatisfaction with communication from leadership, paths to promotion and that nearly every Black employee had experienced discrimination. Guyton, who has filled the role on an interim basis since July 2023, is tasked with creating, instilling and enforcing standards of conduct. Before taking on the interim deputy chief role, Guyton was a U.S. magistrate judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee for 20 years until he retired in 2022.