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Kingsport has long been known as a kind and compassionate community. Many community organizations care for the homeless in our community with feeding programs, shelters and a variety of other ministries. Recently, the situation has become more complex as issues related to drug addiction and mental health impact many who find themselves homeless. In addition, navigating the complexity of shelter regulations and waiting lists for public housing have left more people on the streets.
With support of many community donors, the United Way of Greater Kingsport (UWGK) has long supported homeless-serving organizations, from nationally-recognized Salvation Army and Family Promise (formerly Interfaith Hospitality Network) to Frontier Health’s domestic violence shelter, Safe House, to more recently adding Hope Haven, a local homeless shelter for both men and women, as a member agency. These four agencies have a bed-capacity to serve up to 85 adults and children experiencing homelessness on any given night, with a nightly combined average of 55 in 2018. In addition to these shelter programs, several organizations provide valuable food assistance services, including the Friendship Diner, Kitchen of Hope, Hunger First, Shades of Grace, and nearly 30 other organizations (feedkingsport.org).
Over the past several years, the number of individuals experiencing homelessness in our community has appeared to grow, despite the Point-In-Time Count (PIT) data remaining relatively consistent. The annual PIT Count is conducted each January by the Appalachian Regional Coalition on Homelessness (ARCH) through the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In 2019, this data showed approximately 150 people in our community experiencing homelessness, further specified as 50 sheltered, 46 unsheltered and 38 transitionally sheltered. During the summer of 2019, Kingsport City officials received an increasing number of safety-related complaints from downtown businesses and neighborhood citizens. After hearing and investigating these reports, Kingsport City acted with a proactive approach: In the fall, Kingsport City Manager Chris McCartt, and Kingsport Police Chief David Quillin met with the United Way of Greater Kingsport board members to envision a long-term strategy for addressing homelessness in Kingsport. Initial steps forward included:
- Survey the existing agencies that provide services.
- Form a Homeless Coalition composed of a cross-sector of community members, community leaders and non-profit organization leaders to identify gaps.
- Develop a comprehensive action plan.
Both UWGK and the City of Kingsport share a common vision of a safe and compassionate community that offers a well-resourced path to self-sufficiency for individuals experiencing homelessness. To further this vision, the City of Kingsport, in partnership with the United Way of Greater Kingsport, created the Homeless Services Liaison position to oversee the strategic work of “coordinated entry” improvement. In addition, the City has hired a social worker to work full-time with the Kingsport Police Department who will be working with the homeless population to help get them better access to community resources designed to help them. This position would also engage with community partners in the coordination of these services. Both positions were posted in November and subsequently filled.
Jonathan Anderson is the newly appointed UWGK Homeless Services Liaison. With 13 years of experience in the faith-based and nonprofit communities, Anderson is the founder of Engage Tri-Cities and has worked with local organizations in both Kingsport and North Carolina.
The Kingsport Police Homeless Outreach Worker is now Erin Gray. A lifelong Tri-Cities native, Gray is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) with over 10 years of experience through the Department of Children’s Services and Camelot.
Individuals interested in supporting these efforts can volunteer for the upcoming Point-in-Time Count (PIT) taking place on January 22-23rd. For information on how to participate visit www.volunteer-united.org.
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Kingsport Police Department
David Quillin, Chief of Police 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 |
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| NEWS RELEASE | |||
| SUBJECT: | Applications Being Accepted for the Position of Kingsport Police Officer from January 4 through 19, 2020 (2nd Notice) | ||
| DATE: | January 8, 2020 | ||
| GENERAL NARRATIVE | |||
| The City of Kingsport Human Resources Department will be accepting applications for the position of Police Officer from January 4 through 19, 2020. The Kingsport Police Department is hoping to hire several new officers out of this application process to fill any existing and upcoming vacancies. Those interested must submit a new application regardless of whether or not they have applied or tested with K.P.D. in the past.
Individuals who are interested in a career in law enforcement are encouraged to apply. All applicants must be a United States citizen and either already be at least 21 years of age or be turning 21 by no later than August 5, 2020. Applicants are asked to only submit their application once, as weeding out duplicate applications hampers efficiency. All applications must be submitted online using the following link: https://www.GovernmentJobs.com/Careers/Kingsport Following the January 19th deadline, all applicants will receive a confirmation email, as well as a letter by traditional mail, containing further instructions regarding the upcoming Police Applicant Testing procedures, as well as the exact date that they are to report for testing. PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL NOT BE A WRITTEN EXAMINATION AS PART OF THIS TESTING PROCESS. All applicants will begin the testing process with a physical agility evaluation. The physical agility evaluation will be administered on both Tuesday, February 4 and Wednesday, February 5, 2020. Applicants will be divided alphabetically and will be assigned one of these two dates and will be notified accordingly. These sessions will be conducted at Domtar Park, located at 1414 Riverport Road in Kingsport. The physical agility evaluation will consist of a timed one-mile run and a timed roughly one-quarter-mile obstacle course designed to measure fitness, strength, agility, and endurance as related to the duties of a Police Officer. Individuals must have an application on file and sign a waiver of liability in order to be eligible to participate. The applications of those candidates who successfully pass the physical agility evaluation will be reviewed for eligibility and suitability to move forward to the interview panel phase. General criteria to be considered for selection for an interview will be outlined in the confirmation email and letter each applicant will receive to notify them of their testing date. Those applicants with the highest combined scores on the physical agility evaluation and interview panel will then be interviewed by the Chief of Police to determine the final selections. Those ultimately selected will also be subject to a medical examination, psychological evaluation, and a thorough background investigation prior to actual hiring. The current starting salary for Police Officer Trainee is $16.32 per hour or $33,946 annually. Applicants who are already certified law enforcement officers may be eligible for a salary adjustment to compensate for prior experience if certain criteria are met. Academy training and all essential equipment including uniforms, firearms, body armor, and duty gear are provided by the department. K.P.D. also issues take-home police cruisers to officers meeting specific residency requirements. City of Kingsport employee benefits include direct payroll deposit; paid vacation, holiday, and sick leave; employee life insurance; optional supplemental and dependent life insurance; long-term disability; health insurance; optional dental and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; ICMA RC 401 retirement; and optional ICMA RC 457 retirement. For additional information regarding the application process, please call the City of Kingsport Human Resources Department at 423-229-9401. For additional information regarding a law enforcement career at the Kingsport Police Department, please call Lieutenant Chris Tincher with the K.P.D. Professional Standards Unit at 423-343-9805. |
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| RELEASING OFFICER | ||
| Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) ThomasMPatton |
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Want to help the birds in your backyard? Join Bays Mountain Park for a bird box workshop this January and February.
Spring will arrive in our area before we know it, and with the warmer weather, nature comes alive again. As the season turns, many birds will migrate through East Tennessee—and some will even call it home.
These birds will need somewhere to live, though. Most birds have specific nesting requirements that need to be met, and many experience a shortage of ideal nesting conditions. That’s where you come in! You can support nesting birds in our area by crafting a bird box where they can raise a family in your own backyard.
Bays Mountain Park will have two bird box workshops focusing on two species of local birds. On January 12, you can build a home for the Eastern Bluebird. February 16’s bird boxes are suited for Wrens. Each workshop begins at 3 p.m. and lasts about an hour.
The workshops are $25 per box, and pre-registration is required. Please visit baysmountain.com for registration links. For more information, call 423-229-9447.
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Kingsport Police Department
David Quillin, Chief of Police 200 Shelby Street • Kingsport, TN 37660 |
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| NEWS RELEASE | |||
| SUBJECT: | Intensive K.P.D. Vice Investigation Yields Significant Arrests and Large Seizures | ||
| DATE: | January 6, 2020 | ||
| CASE #: | Multiple | ||
| GENERAL NARRATIVE | |||
| In late 2018, the Kingsport Police Department Vice and Narcotics Unit began what would be a lengthy investigation into extensive illegal drug trafficking committed by Tyrone Lamas Hitchcock, also known as “Sticks.” It was learned that Mr. Hitchcock was living in this area under an alias while evading authorities in Michigan, where he was wanted by that state’s Department of Corrections for Absconding While on Parole. This investigation eventually led to two co-conspirators to include Hitchcock’s girlfriend, Rachel J. Bradley, and another female suspect, Ashley L. Hagood.
The findings of this intensive year-long investigation were presented to a Sullivan County Grand Jury on December 11, 2019 which returned true bills of indictment resulting in the issuance of subsequent capias arrest warrants on all three suspects for multiple felony charges. Mr. Hitchcock and Ms. Bradley were arrested on December 20, 2019. Ms. Hagood was served with her warrant while already in law enforcement custody on unrelated charges. As a result of these arrests, and the service of associated search warrants, over 4 pounds of heroin with a street value in excess of a half million dollars ($500,000) was seized. Detectives also seized over 500 pills, approximately $25,000 in cash (believed to be profits from illegal drug transactions), and several firearms. As of the time of issuance of this news release, all three suspects remain confined in the Sullivan County Jail in Blountville. Mr. Hitchcock and Ms. Hagood are being held with no current eligibility for bond, while Ms. Bradley is being held in lieu of a $75,000 bond. Their individual charges are detailed in the suspect information tables within this release. The K.P.D. Vice and Narcotics Unit would like to thank the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office Vice and Narcotics Unit and the Office of the Second Judicial District (Sullivan County) Attorney General for their invaluable assistance throughout this investigation. |
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| SUSPECT #1 INFORMATION | |
| Name | Tyrone Lamas Hitchcock
a.k.a. “Sticks” |
| Age | Date of Birth 7/6/1985
34 Years of Age |
| Gender/Race | Male/Black |
| Residency | 905 New Beason Well Road, Apartment #4101
Kingsport, Tennessee |
| Charge(s) | 1) Sale and Delivery of Heroin (4 counts)
2) Criminal Conspiracy to Possess Heroin for Sale and Delivery 3) Also Wanted by Michigan Department of Corrections for Absconding While on Parole |
| SUSPECT #2 INFORMATION | |
| Name | Rachel J. Bradley |
| Age | Date of Birth 2/19/1992
27 Years of Age |
| Gender/Race | Female/Black |
| Residency | 905 New Beason Well Road, Apartment #4101
Kingsport, Tennessee |
| Charge(s) | 1) Sale and Delivery of Heroin (4 counts)
2) Criminal Conspiracy to Possess Heroin for Sale and Delivery |
| SUSPECT #3 INFORMATION | |
| Name | Ashley L. Hagood |
| Age | Date of Birth 2/7/1975
44 Years of Age |
| Gender/Race | Female/ White |
| Residency | No Permanent Address
Kingsport, Tennessee |
| Charge(s) | 1) Sale and Delivery of Heroin (10 counts)
2) Criminal Conspiracy to Possess Heroin for Sale and Delivery 3) Sale and Delivery of Gabapentin 4) Sale and Delivery of Methamphetamine within 1,000 Feet of a School 5) Maintaining a Dwelling where Controlled Substances are Used or Sold |
| RELEASING OFFICER | ||
| Thomas M. Patton, Public Information Officer
Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit 423-229-9433 (Desk) • 423-224-2786 (FAX) ThomasMPatton |
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