Chief Noel explains effort to stop internet crimes against children
By Mike Steely
Senior Writer
steelym@knoxfocus.com
According to Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel, the number of tips about Internet Crimes Against Children doubled in our state last year. Noel told the city council Tuesday that Knoxville leads the state in the effort, which he called “a first-class program.”
Noel’s comments were in response to questions from at-large council member Amelia Parker, who wanted to discuss the grant request for $631,577 from the U.S Department of Justice to continue funding the program.
The friendly interchange between Parker and Noel drew some attention, with Parker often a critic of funding requests from the police department. Noel said that state-wide, there were 35,000 reports of online attempts to lure children and 230 arrests. He told the council there were 450 tips and 41 people arrested locally.
Parker asked why the number of reports had increased, and Noel replied, “Social media.” He pointed out that reports of violations come from federal, state and local sources. He said Knoxville’s Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force has seven staff members who coordinate with 75 other state-wide agencies.
Noel said that the effort also includes children who are runaways.
Parker praised the effort, and the funding request passed unanimously.
The meeting was reminded by Director Jerrod Croom that the Police Advisory and Review Committee (PARC) will meet on Thursday, January 22, in the South Knox Community Center at 522 Maryville Pike.
In other action, the new members of city council, attending their first full meeting, spoke up on several issues.
District 6 Councilman Denzel Grant called on Jackie Robinson to speak to the meeting following her appointment to PARC, calling her a leader in helping local people to “navigate the court system.”
Karyn Adams of District 1 led the devotional and reported on the progress of renovating the former Giffin School into 77 housing units in the South Haven Neighborhood.
Councilman Nathan Honeycutt of District 2 applauded the traffic light work on Highway 311 and reminded everyone that the city is taking traffic calming request applications from neighborhoods.
The council passed several zoning changes within its consent agenda and discussed and voted to approve a change at 406 Willow Avenue. Brad Salsbury had requested adding a planned development zoning designation there for a three-story restaurant’s second phase of development.
Mayor Indya Kincannon’s nominations of Luis Urrea to the Board of Zoning Appeals and Lisa Sorensen to the Design Review Board were approved. Councilwoman Lynne Fugate thanked the council for choosing her as vice mayor.
