KINGSPORT, Tenn. (WJHL) — In a remarkable outcome for 2025, the Kingsport Police Department (KPD) proudly announced that the city of Kingsport recorded zero traffic fatalities throughout the year, according to the department’s annual report.
Delving deeper into this comprehensive report, several key insights reveal a downturn in crime rates compared to the previous year. The KPD highlighted that numerous crime categories have seen notable decreases, signaling enhanced safety within the city.
The police department also noted there were no fatal crashes in Kingsport in 2025. Officers responded to a total of 2,125 crashes and issued 11,381 traffic citations.
Police responded to 53,837 service calls in 2025, which represented a 5.2% decrease from 2024.
The department’s vice unit made 176 arrests in 2025 and seized roughly $1.4 million in illegal narcotics. Additionally, $55,547 in currency and two vehicles were seized by the vice unit.
KPD detectives investigated 2,602 cases with a clearance rate of 81%.
In 2025, the KPD’s SWAT team was activated eight times, the Kingsport Bomb Squad responded to two calls and the Kingsport City Jail housed 2,294 people.
Former Police Chief Dale Phipps retired in 2025 after nearly five years at the helm and 37 years with the department.
Kingsport Police Chief Jason Bellamy stated in the report that the “loyalty, determination, and hard work of the men and women who comprise the Kingsport Police Department has been noteworthy.”
“As with many other years, 2025 brought its own challenges, including recruitment and retention, population growth and many societal issues happening across the country,” Bellamy said. “Regardless, our team of professional officers continues to utilize both traditional and contemporary policing strategies to face these challenges and meet the community’s needs.”
To view the entire annual report, click here.