Professional Standards Unit
The Kingsport Police Department’s Professional Standards Unit was officially formed in 2014 with the goal of unifying several pre-existing divisions of the department under one central umbrella for the purpose of maintaining nationally recognized standards of excellence in law enforcement. The divisions of the department that make up the Professional Standards Unit include the Training Division, the Internal Affairs Division, the Accreditation Manager, and the Public Information Officer.
Lieutenant Justin McConnell received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from East Tennessee State University. He was an active member of the Police Explorer Post at the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office during his high school and college years and launched his law enforcement career as a S.C.S.O. Reserve Deputy in 2005. He was sworn in as a Kingsport Police Patrol Officer the following year. He soon transferred to the Criminal Investigations Division where he served as a Detective. While assigned to C.I.D., he served on the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) and the Vulnerable Adult Protective & Investigative Team (VAPIT). He is a graduate of the National Forensic Academy (NFA) and a recipient of the Mark Vance Domestic Violence Investigator of the Year Award. He has served on the Honor Guard and as an Explorer Advisor, instructed in Taser and Criminal Investigations, and supervised in both the Criminal Investigations and Patrol Divisions. He was promoted to Lieutenant in January of 2023 and currently oversees the K.P.D. Professional Standards Unit.
