Knoxville Police Chief Suspended Over Inappropriate Messages With Officer Amid Department Love Triangle Scandal

A Knoxville Police Department internal investigation into a workplace affair has ensnared the police chief, who exchanged years of flirtatious messages with one of the officers involved in the romantic entanglement. Chief Paul Noel was suspended for one month and remains under investigation following the discovery of inappropriate text exchanges with Officer Jasmine Reed, according to reporting by WBIR’s Katie Inman.

The messages between Noel and Reed, which spanned years, included invitations for out-of-town trips and references to the chief wearing a wedding ring while maintaining discretion. Investigators found no evidence of a physical relationship between the two, but the communications were determined to violate departmental standards and prompted the chief’s disciplinary action.

Reed’s involvement in a separate affair with Lieutenant Keith DeBow proved far more serious. The two engaged in sexual activity multiple times while on duty, including encounters in a relief trailer and a storage room, with surveillance footage documenting 37 visits totaling 8 hours and 7 minutes, according to WVLT reporting.

Reed admitted to the affair and was suspended following the investigation. DeBow, who was married to Captain Tammy DeBow—also a department employee—retired before the internal complaint was filed and avoided investigation. Captain DeBow was suspended for sending text messages to Reed about the affair, conduct deemed inappropriate given her rank.

Beyond the romantic entanglements, Reed faces additional scrutiny over her job performance. Investigators determined she mishandled evidence on approximately 20 separate occasions. No criminal charges were filed against any of the officers involved; all findings centered on workplace policy violations.