To: The Citizens of Knox County
Friday, 16 March 2018
This is in response to Farragut Mayor Ralph McGill’s crime statistics allegations. The mayor is deliberately misleading Knox County citizens and Farragut residents about crime in Knox County. In a letter endorsing a candidate for sheriff, he states, “You may have recently seen the latest crime statistics that have been released. If not, the crime rate has been on the rise in Knox County.” This is a lie. As a matter of fact, crime in Knox County is down and particularly in the town of Farragut.
In fact, we believe the mayor may have been duped into signing this misrepresentation of the facts by the very candidate he is supporting.
We understand this is campaign rhetoric, but when you deliberately try to mislead and scare Knox County Citizens, then we have to step in with the truth. There are more officers on the street than ever in the 226 year history of Knox County. The men and women of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office have worked diligently to protect the citizens of Knox County and the town of Farragut. Attacks and lies will not be tolerated, political or not.
The 2017 crime statistics have been submitted to the TBI and the agency is reviewing and compiling statewide numbers, which will be released sometime in the next few weeks. Preliminary numbers indicate the same downward trend from 2015-2016 as seen on the TBI website here. Knox County has seen an approximate 5% decline in crime overall from 2015 to 2016. Numbers don’t lie.
Knox County Sheriff Jimmy “J.J.” Jones and Brian Hornback at a recent Center City Conservatives Republican Club
