KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — From the gas pump to the grocery store, household budgets stretch tighter as prices rise for almost everything. While it makes budgeting difficult for average families, experts said it could also impact law enforcement in Knoxville.
A recent compensation study revealed that the city pays its employees around 10% less than their market value. While the city recently raised property taxes in order to fund raises, the Knoxville Police Department said they were still facing staffing shortages.
They said they were down around 55 employees. They are authorized to hire a maximum of 416 people, meaning around 10% of the department's positions in the department are vacant.
"If the economy is bad, sales tax dollars are not coming in as normal and that's what pays the expenses when it comes to personnel," said Rick Scarbrough, the executive director at the University of Tennessee Law Enforcement Innovation Center.
There were 40 reported murders in Knoxville in 2021, according to data from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation — a 5% increase from the year before. There was also a 60% increase in reports of people illegally having a gun, and a 64% increase in drug violations.
Overall, the data showed a 10% increase in reported serious crimes in Knoxville.
"Statewide statistics don't really help a small community plan for their own problems," said Scarbrough.
Paul Noel, the Knoxville Chief of Police, said that he aims to reduce violent crime across the city. He also said he plans to fully staff the police department to achieve that goal — even if it means navigating complex challenges rising from global inflation.
"Sometimes, that will impact the number of officers you can hire, staffing levels and whatnot," said Scarbrough. "That can be one downfall of an economic downturn."