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In 2017, the Kingsport Police Department, just like the city it serves, will be turning 100 years old. While researching old photographs in preparation for the upcoming centennial celebration, it was discovered that the earliest police officers in Kingsport wore an all dark blue uniform. By the 1950s, K.P.D. had transitioned to a uniform consisting of a gray shirt and navy blue pants that would become the standard for the next 60 plus years.
K.P.D. has been discussing the possibility of a change in uniforms, and it has been decided that transitioning back to uniforms in the original color would be a great way to celebrate and commemorate the rich history and 100th birthday of this police department. While the original K.P.D. uniforms from a century ago were most likely constructed of very heavy wool, the new uniforms will be fashioned from more modern lightweight materials and will be significantly more comfortable.
While the new look most certainly pays homage to the early days of the Kingsport Police Department, it also has an up-to-date style, more in line with today’s most progressive law enforcement agencies. An updated badge has been designed to accompany the new uniforms. The transition to the new uniforms will be at no additional cost to the taxpayers, as K.P.D. already has a line item in the budget each year for uniforms.
Officers will have three basic uniform options available to them year around, depending on the weather and their assignment. The Class A uniform will consist of a long-sleeve solid navy blue shirt and tie, the Class B uniform will consist of an open-collar long-sleeve solid navy blue shirt, and the Class C uniform will consist of an open-collar short-sleeve solid navy blue shirt. All three options will be worn with matching solid navy blue trousers.
Look for these sharp new uniforms out in the community!
Kingsport Police Officer Serves For Others
Officer Jim Clark protects communities through strong communication channels.
Since 1992, Clark has been serving as Direct Patrol for the Kingsport Police Department. He loves his job because it allows him to become involved and connect with residents. He strongly believes communication between the police department and the residents they protect is the most important aspect of community safety.
Clark has seen first-hand the positive effect communicating with residents has on his job. After working closely with Kingsport communities and getting to know the residents, he created trusting relationships. These relationships allowed Clark to connect with residents and instill that he was there to keep them safe.
Once communication flowed more freely, residents started reporting things they saw to Clark. Eventually, these communities slowly because a more safe and secure environment for residents.
“What we do is sometimes social work, or we’re a preacher or law enforcement,” said Clark. “We see people at their worst sometimes so we have to be able to do it all.”
Through his efforts, he’s helped residents and other officers understand how important trust, communication and safety is for everyone.
Kingsport Police Department
200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 ThomasMPatton • 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) |
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NEWS RELEASE | |||
SUBJECT: | Suspect Sought in Armed Robbery of Colonial Heights CVS Pharmacy | ||
DATE: | November 9, 2016 | ||
CASE #: | 16-024392 | ||
GENERAL NARRATIVE | |||
On November 8, 2016 at approximately 7:45 PM, Officers from the Kingsport Police Department Patrol and Criminal Investigations Divisions responded to the CVS Pharmacy, located at 4106 Fort Henry Drive in the Colonial Heights area of Kingsport, in reference to an armed robbery. Their subsequent investigation revealed the following:
A lone suspect entered the store and loitered around for a few moments until ultimately approaching the pharmacy counter. He brandished a firearm, which was described by witnesses as an “old gun” and appeared to be a black in color revolver. He demanded prescription narcotics and access to a safe. He filled a trash bag that he had brought with him with a significant quantity of medications and walked casually out of the store. The stolen medications had a value of over $10,000. The suspect was last seen running toward an access road at the rear of the business. A tracking attempt by a K.P.D. K-9 Unit proved unsuccessful. The suspect is believed to be a middle-aged white male adult. He appears to be approximately 6 feet tall and was described by witnesses as “scruffy looking.” He was wearing western style clothing consisting of blue jeans, a plaid shirt, a heavy brown or green overcoat, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat. He was also reportedly wearing black thin-framed eyeglasses. He absolutely should be considered armed and dangerous. A photo of the suspect taken from store surveillance video has been included in this release. A clip of the actual video footage has been made available for viewing on the K.P.D. YouTube channel via the link below: Anyone who recognizes him is asked to contact Detectives in the K.P.D. Criminal Investigations Division at 423-229-9429 or call Kingsport Central Dispatch at 423-246-9111. Alternatively, if an individual who is able to supply information related to this or any other case wishes not to be identified, tips can be submitted anonymously via online “Citizen Feedback” forms available at the following link: https://www.kingsporttn.gov/city-services/police-department/contact-us |
RELEASING OFFICER | ||
Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit |
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Maybe you want to start your holiday shopping early for parents-to-be with a centennial baby blanket or perhaps the morning coffee drinker in your family needs a new centennial mug. Now is the time to start your centennial keepsake shopping and be thinking about how you want to celebrate our centennial year in 2017.
Centennial merchandise is on sale at your Kingsport Chamber, located at 400 Clinchfield Street. Merchandise available for purchase includes umbrellas, teddy bears, tote bags, magnets and two varieties of long and short sleeve t-shirts. There are also two different colors of youth shirts available. To view the merchandise, visit www.kingsport100.org.
Stop by the Kingsport Chamber and get your centennial keepsakes for 2017!
Happy Halloween! We saved the best legend for last. Today, “Ima Goner”, our ghostly friend, is visiting the infamous Sensabaugh Tunnel and learning about its spooky legend.
Sensabaugh Tunnel is a nationally recognized urban legend from Kingsport. Here are the three different tales of everyone’s favorite creepy tunnel.
Sensabaugh Tunnel was built in the 1920s and was named for the man that owned the land, Edward Sensabaugh.
In one version of this legend, Edward let a homeless man into his home as an act of charity. Their guest tried to steal jewelry and Edward confronted him with a gun. The thief grabbed Edward’s baby daughter to use as a shield and ran out of the house. He got away and drowned the baby in the tunnel.
In a second version of the legend, Edward Sensabaugh went mad and killed his entire family and threw their bodies into the tunnel.
But in the third version (that some claim is the most accurate), Edward Sensabaugh lived into his old age, not dying until the 1950s and had none of his children die as babies. By the time Edward grew old, vandals and teens had taken to using the tunnel for their fun. Edward wasn’t happy about it. So he would hide at one end of the tunnel and fill it with an eerie shriek, scaring off anyone hiding inside. Thus beginning the legend of Sensabaugh Tunnel.
Legend has it, if you switch off your car engine in the middle of the tunnel, it won’t switch back on. Some say you can also hear the baby’s cry and the approaching footsteps of Edward himself. Some have even claimed when driving through the tunnel the shadow of a woman appears in your backseat.
Are you brave enough to visit the Sensabaugh Tunnel?