Meet the Command Staff
When the Kingsport Police Department’s Command Staff sit down together to make an important decision, they bring over 140 years of combined law enforcement experience to the table. Each of these individuals has a specific skill-set giving them a unique perspective. Together they manage the Kingsport Police Department and serve as an advisory panel to assist the Chief of Police with any significant developments. It is the mission of the K.P.D. Command Staff to provide the citizens of Kingsport with a professional law enforcement agency founded on the principles of Courage, Integrity, and Justice.
Chief Dale Phipps has been a sworn officer with the police department since September 1988, where he has served in many areas of operations and administration throughout his career, including Uniform Patrol, SWAT, Vice/Narcotics, and Professional Standards. He was instrumental in the department’s decision to field Tasers as an additional less lethal option, both conducting the research and writing the policy that governs their use. Chief Phipps is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 228, Quantico, VA, as well as having an Associate and Bachelor Degrees from East Tennessee State University. In March 2021, he was selected to become the 15th Chief of Police of the Kingsport Police Department.
Deputy Chief Jason Bellamy joined the department in 1998. He received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a Minor in Criminal Justice and Sociology from East Tennessee State University. He then went on to earn his Masters of Education, also from E.T.S.U. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 244, Quantico, VA and the National Forensic Academy Session 17, Knoxville, TN. During his tenure at K.P.D. he has served as a Patrol Officer, Detective, Training Sergeant, Watch Commander, Captain of Operations, and Commander. He also served in several specialized assignments including Honor Guard, Hostage Negotiator, and FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force Officer. He was promoted to Deputy Chief in April 2021, and now serves as second in command, overseeing the day to day operation of the department.
Commander Sean Chambers joined the Kingsport Police Department in 1993 as a Corrections Officer, and he was sworn in as a Police Officer the following year. He received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from East Tennessee State University. He graduated from the Southeastern Leadership Academy in 2016. During his tenure at K.P.D. he has served as a Patrol Officer, Community Police Officer, Vice Detective, Director of the 2nd Judicial District Drug Task Force, Watch Commander and Lieutenant of the Criminal Investigations Division. He was promoted to Commander in May 2021 and now oversees both the Operations and Administrative Bureaus and manages the department’s budget.
Captain Justin Quillin joined the Kingsport Police Department in 1995 and has served in a variety of capacities including Patrol Officer, Field Training Officer, and Community Police. He has supervised in the Training Unit, the Patrol Division, the Administrative Bureau, the Jail, the Strategic Operations Unit, and the Professional Standards Unit. He has served in several specialized roles including SWAT, Honor Guard, and Department Chaplain. Captain Quillin is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 252, Quantico, VA, and received his Bachelor of Science in Religion from Liberty University. He was promoted to Captain in January of 2023 and currently oversees the Operations Bureau.
Captain Chris Tincher joined the department in 1998. He served five years in the United States Marine Corps. He then earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Criminology from East Tennessee State University and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Public Safety from the University of Virginia. He graduated from the FBI National Academy, Session 289, Quantico, VA, and the National Forensic Academy, Session 23, Knoxville, TN. During his tenure at K.P.D., he has served in various capacities, including Patrol Officer, Detective, Professional Standards Unit Lieutenant, and Watch Commander. He also served in several specialized assignments including FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force Officer, Firearms Instructor, and Range Master. He was promoted to Captain in January of 2023 and currently serves as the Captain of Administration.
