It’s a safe bet that 99% of us – beyond what we see on TV — have no real idea about how and what detectives at any level of law enforcement really do. They’re in the background, in plainclothes, usually in unmarked black vehicles and very few resemble “Dirty Harry” Callahan (Clint Eastwood).
KPD Det. Austin Jordan as a patrol officer
That said, one expert who works with detectives says the great ones share eight characteristics – a sense of humor, ingenuity, honor, composure, attention to details, courage, empathy and tenacity. During a long note-taking conversation with Knoxville Police Department Det. Austin Jordan, it’s safe to say the expert is right.
There are other traits in the mix too – communications and conversational skills, street smarts, analytic reasoning, court testimony skills, a great memory, patience, effective report writing and observational skills.
Jordan is a young detective, only 32, a graduate of Hardin Valley Academy (2011) and the University of Tennessee – class of 2015. He earned a degree in sociology with an emphasis on criminal justice. In 2018 he graduated from the KPD Academy and spent four years as a patrol officer in the West District and then in Lonsdale. In March 2023 he was assigned to the Organized Crime Unit under Lt. Josh Shaffer’s leadership.
During his seven years at KPD, he’s been a member of the Community Engagement Response Team (CERT) for two years, is on the Bomb Squad as a support technician, the Mobile Field Force and also was a member of the KPD Honor Guard.
As a young patrolman in 2020, he was named the department’s Officer of the Month three times – in February, July and November. A major award came his way in 2022 when he shared the honor as KPD Officer of the Year with fellow Officer Jonathan Gomez. Both Jordan and Gomez were nominated for their “exceptional, sustained efforts as a member of the CERT team.”
His path into law enforcement began in high school when he took three classes in criminal justice “I thought about going into either police work or with the fire department,” he said. “Part of my program included something like an internship and I did a few ride-alongs and one with now-retired officer J.D. Hopkins really helped me focus and I set my mind on the KPD. Good decision.”
Juggling a lot of balls simultaneously is another necessary skill for any detective. So how many unsolved active cases has he on his plate?
“Oh man, I’ve been doing this now for 26 months and I have approximately 100 overdose death local cases right now. I’m also a member of HIDTA (High Intensity Drug Traffic Area) task force that works together on cases in four states – Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky and West Virginia.”
His focus on overdose deaths is on how the deceased individual got the drugs and who supplied them. “We work to trace the origins of the drugs and disrupt the organization and chain of the suppliers. But it’s a long slow process investigating the cases. Most overdoses are accidental in nature, but whoever got the person the drugs faces a charge of second-degree murder,” he explained. “We also can charge conspiracy to resell and maintaining a dwelling for drug use.”
The names of the drugs are familiar – heroin, fentanyl, methamphetamines (including crystal meth) and crack cocaine – all Schedule I and II drugs. He added that prescription drugs can be part of this as well.
His drug cases are not specific to any norm. “I arrest people in tents and some cases they are in million-dollar homes, motels and hotels, and I have cases from 16-year-olds to people in their 80s,” he says. “Rich or poor. Our cases are from all over Knoxville and also involve people from out-of-town.”
One overdose case involved a family who relocated to Knoxville to help a family member who was an addict. But the person died from a fentanyl overdose. He counts the case as one of his best accomplishments. “Through our contacts and using the family’s phones we determined who supplied the fentanyl and we tracked them down using videos. We found the first person and that led us to the second one,” Jordan said. “They were both indicted for second-degree murder.”
His most frustrating investigation also involves a victim’s family, in a negative way. “We hit an impasse on this case and set it aside and it always comes back up. Two people in this family died and the other family members would not give us any help whatsoever. We figured out who the suspects were,” Jordan said. “And someone in the family tipped him off and he’s disappeared. We are still looking and hitting dead ends. Very frustrating.”
Detectives work long and odd hours, never knowing when they’ll catch the next case. “I have no idea how many hours I work. One of my phones goes off on a regular basis, day or night. It does not seem like we’re ever off,” he says. “In addition to the investigative work, we prep for the courtroom prosecutions and our testimonies. We have meetings with the DAs (district attorneys) to review the cases and we’re following up on tips and answering questions from other officers. We’re busy. Every day.”
What does he do to combat the hours, the stress and the pressures? “The family is my priority and I love to cook and work on house projects.
“I cook breakfast most every morning, I love smoking meats and I make dinner a lot. My specialty is lasagna.”
Lt. Shaffer, Jordan’s supervisor in the Organized Crime Unit, says:
“Detective Jordan has not only demonstrated his level of professionalism and proficiency as a police officer, but has quickly shown the same characteristics as a detective. I supervised Austin as a patrol officer, as a member of the CERT team, and now as a detective in Organized Crime, and he has excelled at every stop.
“On the Drug Related Death Task Force, he is investigating tragic deaths from the scourge of drug trafficking. He works every case diligently to bring justice for the families and hold the drug dealers responsible for these deaths accountable.”
Tom King has been the editor of newspapers in Texas and California and also worked in Tennessee and Georgia. If you have someone you think we should consider featuring, please email him at the link with his name or text him at 865-659-3562.
Our Town Hero is sponsored by Aubrey’s Restaurants.
