SUBJECT:  National Drug Take-Back Day On April 26th 

DATE:  April 21st, 2025 

GENERAL NARRATIVE

On Saturday, April 26^th, 2025, from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM, the Kingsport Police Department will be participating in a community drug take-back initiative. This initiative is sponsored by the Kingsport Police Department and the Sullivan County Anti-Drug Coalition. K.P.D. will be staffing four different drop-off locations in Kingsport. They include:

· Dobyns-Bennett High School (1 Tribe Way)

· Food City (300 Clinchfield Street)

· Food City (1205 North Eastman Road)

· Food City (1911 Moreland Drive)

Between now and Saturday, April 26th, all area residents are encouraged to go through their medicine cabinets and inventory their medications. Now is the time to safely dispose of any leftover, expired, or otherwise unwanted medications. This community drug take-back event is open to the public and is a prime opportunity and the preferred method to safely dispose of any medications that are no longer needed.

The U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sponsors two National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days each year, in April and October. National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days aim to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the public about the potential for abuse of medications.

While the DEA does recognize these two annual days, at the Kingsport Police Department, we like to think of every day as Drug Take-Back Day. K.P.D. has been participating in drug take-back initiatives since 2010 and installed a permanent drug collection box in the lobby of the Kingsport Justice Center, located at 200 Shelby Street in Downtown Kingsport, in 2012. Our box is accessible 24 hours-a-day, 7 days-a-week, 365 days-a-year. To date, K.P.D. has been able to safely incinerate over 20,000 pounds (10 tons) of leftover, unwanted, or expired medications.

The goals of this program are to keep drugs off the street, prevent overdoses and accidental poisonings, and avoid environmental contamination. Drugs that can be accepted include prescription, over the counter (OTC), vitamins, herbals, supplements, and veterinary medications. Items that are not accepted through this program include needles or sharps, biohazard materials, and illegal drugs.

For more information on the DEA’s National Take-Back Day initiative, please visit the following link:

https://takebackday.dea.gov/

RELEASING OFFICER

Corporal Brandon Arnold

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

Office (423) 343-9866, Fax (423) 343-9749

BrandonArnold@KingsportTN.gov

SUBJECT:  Kingsport 911 Communications Specialists Honored During National Public Safety Telecommunications Week 2025

DATE:  April 15^th, 2025  

GENERAL NARRATIVE

The Communications Specialists, also known as Dispatchers, of the Kingsport Emergency Communications District, are being honored this week, April 13th through April 19th   2025, as part of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW). Communications Specialists are the calm, yet highly trained, voice on the phone whenever a citizen calls 9-1-1 for help during an emergency.

Every year during the second week of April, telecommunications personnel in the public safety community are honored. This week-long event was originally created in 1981 by Patricia Anderson of the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office in California. Her goal was to set aside a time to celebrate and thank these individuals who dedicate their lives to serving the public, and make people aware of their hard work and dedication.

The Communications Specialists of Kingsport Central Dispatch process roughly a quarter of a million telephone calls annually. Approximately twenty percent of these calls are emergency calls to 9-1-1. Although a division of the Kingsport Police Department, Kingsport Central Dispatch also provides services for the Kingsport Fire Department, Sullivan County E.M.S., Kingsport Life Saving Crew, and other city departments and functions.

Kingsport Central Dispatch personnel serve under the supervision of the 9-1-1 Director, Lieutenant Kevin Hite, and include Communications Supervisor, Teresa Hillman, Technical Services Coordinator, Richie Hite, 4 Shift Leaders, and 14 Communications Specialists, most of whom are Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) certified. The Kingsport Police Department would like to take this opportunity to express sincere gratitude to all of the employees of Kingsport 9-1-1 and congratulate them on a job well done

RELEASING OFFICER

Lieutenant Justin McConnell

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

Office (423) 229-9499, Fax (423) 343-9749 

JustinMcConnell@KingsportTN.gov

SUBJECT:  KPD Searching For Runaway Juvenile 

DATE:  April 3rd, 2025 

CASE #: 25-004430

GENERAL NARRATIVE

The Kingsport Police Department is searching for 15-year-old, Exenia “Scarlett” Pafford. Exenia is believed to have left voluntarily from an address on Watterson Street. Exenia is a white female, last seen wearing a white shirt and gray sweatpants. Exenia has been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) as a runaway Juvenile.

Anyone with information on Exenia’s whereabouts is asked to contact Kingsport Central Dispatch at (423) 246-9111 or the Criminal Investigations Division at (423) 229-9429.

Alternatively, if an individual who can provide information to this or any 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

MISSING PERSON INFORMATION

Name Exenia “Scarlett” Pafford 

Age 15

Gender/Race Female/White 

Residency Watterson Street in Kingsport TN 

Possible Clothing White shirt and gray sweatpants

Last Known Location Watterson Street

RELEASING OFFICER

Corporal Brandon Arnold

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

Office (423) 343-9866, Fax (423) 343-9749

BrandonArnold@KingsportTN.gov

SUBJECT:  KPD Searching For Runaway Juvenile 

DATE:  April 1st, 2025 

CASE #: 25-004199

GENERAL NARRATIVE

The Kingsport Police Department is searching for 14-year-old, Rodney Childress. Rodney is believed to have left voluntarily from an address on Lawrence Street. Rodney is a white male, last seen wearing a gray t-shirt and basketball shorts. Rodney has been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) as a runaway Juvenile.

Anyone with information on Rodney’s whereabouts is asked to contact Kingsport Central Dispatch at (423) 246-9111 or the Criminal Investigations Division at (423) 229-9429.

Alternatively, if an individual who can provide information to this or any 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

MISSING PERSON INFORMATION

Name Rodney Childress 

Age 14

Gender/Race Male/White 

Residency Lawrence Street in Kingsport TN 

Possible Clothing Gray t-shirt and basketball shorts

Last Known Location Lawrence Street

RELEASING OFFICER

Corporal Brandon Arnold

Kingsport Police Department Professional Standards Unit

Office (423) 343-9866, Fax (423) 343-9749 

BrandonArnold@KingsportTN.gov