KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Police Department has withdrawn a new policy after some officer complaints of discrimination and retaliation, and complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
On Nov. 4, 2022, the Knoxville Police Department issued an order requiring officers on "restricted duty" to return to "regular duty" within 12 months, or they "shall be separated from employment with the Knoxville Police Department," the order said.
That order would've required officers on modified duty to return to restricted duty by this month, or they would've been terminated from KPD.
Officers Haley Starr and Dan Roark filed complaints with the Tennessee Human Rights Commission in May. Starr filed a grievance with the city of Knoxville's Civil Service Merit Board, too.
KPD Communications Manager Scott Erland told 10News in an email KPD had withdrawn the modified duty policy.
Knoxville Civil Service Director Vicki Hatfield confirmed to 10News Starr withdrew her grievance with the civil service board.
In their complaints, both Starr and Roark said they were transferred to restricted duty because of medical restrictions. Starr said she has worked in modified duty since 2014 and Roark since 2020. Because of General Order 1.50, both of them said they were told they'd be fired in November 2023, unless they were able to return to patrol.
"No one who entered into this situation on modified duty had any knowledge that there was a threat or possibility that they would be terminated," L. Scott Miller, Starr and Roark's attorney, said.
Starr's merit board grievance said in January 2023, almost two months after the effective date of General Order 1.50, KPD told her to clean out and surrender her city vehicle and the department was removing her police powers.
"We were given a list of items that we were advised to turn in including our badges, weapons, ammunition and police identification," Starr said in the filing.
The EEOC complaints filed by Starr and Roark state they believed their police powers were taken as an "act of discrimination and/or an act of retaliation for questioning General Order 1.50."
Starr's civil service grievance said it was well-known around the department she and other officers were going to file civil service grievances because of the new general order. She said after these conversations, the department pulled her police powers.
Erland said he could not provide any information on any agreement or resolution of the EEOC claims.