You may remember, last month, the 911 communications received a letter from Lenoir City mayor, Tony Aikens, stating he was not going to pay the 10k because Van Shaver was suing the city, which of course was a lie. Aikens made the decision on his own without any discussion or vote from the city council, the city's funding body.

The 10k the city is suppose to pay goes toward the cost of NCIC services for the Lenoir City police department. 

National Crime Information Center, NCIC is a computerized index of criminal justice information (i.e.- criminal record history information, fugitives, stolen properties, missing persons). It is available to Federal, state, and local law enforcement and other criminal justice agencies and is operational 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

PURPOSE: The purpose for maintaining the NCIC system is to provide a computerized database for ready access by a criminal justice agency making an inquiry and for prompt disclosure of information in the system from other criminal justice agencies about crimes and criminals. This information assists authorized agencies in criminal justice and related law enforcement objectives, such as apprehending fugitives, locating missing persons, locating and returning stolen property, as well as in the protection of the law enforcement officers encountering the individuals described in the system.

So out of his own little petty spite, Aikens cut off funding for the NCIC services which is a necessary tool for officer safety and security.

911 Emergency Communications is not a department of county government but an independent organization providing dispatch communications for all local emergency services in Loudon County. Aikens decision to cut funding to 911 not only could endanger his own police officers but punishes the 911 operation because he's mad at the county for calling him out for his illegal annexations. Lenoir City residents should really think about that.  It would be curious to know if city council members condone Akins actions.

November 2024, there will be a Lenoir City election with Aikens, council members Jennifer Wampler, Mike Henline and Eddie Simpson on the ballot.

Things will never change in Lenoir City until things change in Lenoir City.