History was made Monday within the Knoxville Police Department.
Knoxville Mayor Madeline Rogero and Police Chief David Rausch promoted Eve Thomas to the rank of Deputy Chief for the Knoxville Police Department.
The promotion makes Chief Thomas the second female in KPD history to obtain the deputy chief rank, according to KPD. Deputy Chief Thomas will be assigned as the Division Commander of the Criminal Investigations Division.
Thomas joined KPD in 1993 and served as a patrol officer. She has made her mark as a field training officer, recruitment coordinator, traffic accident reconstructionist, and police driving instructor. She also worked in the department's Accreditation Unit.
Her list of accomplishments grew Monday morning when she was promoted to Sergeant, certifying her as a CALEA Assesor. CALEA stands for Commission of Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
Thomas, a member of Leadership Knoxville 2013, attended the inaugural class of the Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy (SECLA), and served as Patrol Sergeant, Personnel Sergeant, and Accreditation Manager.
KPD said she was promoted to Lieutenant in 2005 and was assigned as the Special Operations Supervisor where she was responsible for the department’s specialty units including the Crisis Negotiation Unit, Special Operations Squad, K9 Unit, Inspections Detail, Search and Recovery Team, Mobile Field Force, Teleserve Unit, and Animal Control Officers among other specialty units within the Patrol Division.
In January 2013, Thomas was assigned to the Patrol Division as the East District Commander. Nearly two and a half years later, she assumed command of the department’s Internal Affairs Unit.
