Knox County Sheriff Daniel Weckesser informed the Board of Commissioners on September 25 that a deputy injured by an inmate at the Knox County Jail has returned to work, and the inmate involved has been indicted.
According to a video of the commissioners' meeting, Weckesser said that two other deputies were also assaulted by the same inmate. The sheriff's office plans to start charging inmates for fighting, including assaults between inmates. "Our intentions are to start charging them as well with assault," Weckesser said. He explained that if deputies are required to intervene in fights, it results in injuries to law enforcement personnel. "So hopefully it'll be a deterrent if they know they're going to start having more charges," he added.
The video further revealed that the inmate accused of assault has been indicted on charges of felonious assault, strangulation, and two counts of assault.
Weckesser also mentioned that the Sheriff's Office is seeking to hire additional staff, including a cook for the jail, another patrol deputy, and two more jailers. Six candidates have applied for the cook's position. Additionally, a vehicle is being outfitted for transporting inmates between the jail, hospital, and prisons.
Work on converting the Knox County Sheriff's Office maintenance building at 11540 Upper Gilchrist Road into an evidence storage facility is nearly ready to commence. A mason from Modern Builders will soon begin work on this project. According to Weckesser, most of the project involves block work; initially, contractors will dig down and install a footer. Storage pods have been used temporarily for materials previously housed in the building. Once evidence is relocated to the renovated facility, more space will be available for offices within the Sheriff's Office building.
