November 6, 2009 – Knoxville Mayor Bill Haslam and Police Chief Sterling Owen today named Todd Gilreath and James Burrell the September Officers of the Month for the Knoxville Police Department. Investigator Gilreath has been with the department since January 1994. Investigator Burrell has been with KPD since December 1998.

On September 11, 2009, Investigator Todd Gilreath responded to a bank robbery at the Clayton Bank and Trust located on Market Street. After conducting numerous interviews with victims and witnesses, Investigator Gilreath began reviewing evidence recovered from the scene. Todd also began pulling FBI bulletins from unsolved bank robberies throughout the Eastern United States. The suspect’s description from two robberies in the Chicago area closely matched the suspect’s description from the Clayton Bank robbery. Two additional bank robberies in Wisconsin and Indiana were also linked to this same potential suspect.

Chief Owen said, “Investigator Gilreath’s investigation resulted in a federal arrest warrant for the suspect, Jonathon Gilmore (DOB 9-19-80). Additionally, Todd was able to determine that the suspect may be traveling to Boca Raton, Florida, where authorities were able to take the suspect into custody.”

“As a direct result of Todd’s detailed investigation, the suspect confessed to committing eleven bank robberies in several states and is now in federal custody,” said Chief Owen.

Since June Investigator James Burrell has been working closely with the Sevierville Police Department to share information concerning recent safe or attempted safe burglaries from several area businesses. Just over a dozen businesses in Knoxville, Knox County, Sevierville, and Sevier County have been targeted. Investigator Burrell helped prepare information concerning the crimes and shared that information with patrol officers as well as Investigators from other jurisdictions. Information gathered from those jurisdictions was also shared with KPD officers.

Chief Owen said, “As a result of working closely with other law enforcement agencies in addition to keeping patrol officers up to date with vital investigative information, three suspects were recently apprehended in Sevierville. Since their arrest, attempted safe burglaries have ceased.”

“Investigator Burrell continually goes above and beyond to conduct complete and thorough investigations,” said Chief Owen.

“He also goes a step further by making sure the patrol officers have the most up to date information to effect a timely arrest,” said Owen.

“Both Investigator Gilreath and Investigator Burrell are recognized for their leadership and their motivation to go the extra step which makes this community we call home much safer,” Chief Owen concluded.

• Safe Burglary Suspects arrested by Sevierville PD with assistance from the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office

1. David Way, DOB 5-28-69, Charged with Burglary of a Pigeon Forge Business
2. Mitchell Davis, DOB 7-13-67, Charged with Burglary of a Pigeon Forge Business
3. Harold Dunn, DOB 4-4-51, Charged with Burglary of a Pigeon Forge Business Additional charges are pending in Sevier County and Knoxville