Aaron Yarnell
0815 – 0830 Introduction to Tech – Set – Go
0830 – 0925 The New Tracking
0930 – 1025 Case Studies with Technology – Thinking Outside The Box
1030 – 1115 The Investigative Technology Tool Belt
Guest Speakers 1115 – 1200 Ring & CopLink+
Lunch Break 1200-1300
Angie Daniels 1300 – 1355 Digital Evidence
Bo Cheatham
1400 – 1445 LPR & Facial Rec
Jennifer Ward
1450 – 1530 Crime Analysis and Analytics
Corey Mcmahan
1530 – 1615 Social Engineering and media enhancements
Closing – 1615-1630
Crime Analysis and Mapping that helps law enforcement recognize incident patterns and keep the community aware of activity in their neighborhoods. They also work with multiple other Law Enforcement agencies on investigations and fugitive tracking.
The DIU also assists investigators with Video Evidence collection and analysis. This has become an invaluable tool in identifying suspects, as well as providing investigators evidence.
Initially, and carved from a path he originally believed would be his career, the study of computer science and academia surrounding technology integration secured Aaron an internship at the Knox County Sheriff’s Office in 1995.
Temporarily working as a civilian in law enforcement, six months in the field, and Aaron’s distinguish computer science degree was tabled¾law enforcement was his calling. Upon the conclusion of his temporary placement in the records division of the agency, Aaron was hired and began working full-time as a civilian within the same department. Aspiring to be a police officer, Aaron requested a transfer to corrections in 1998, where he would join the security detachment of the Roger D. Wilson Detention Facility. In the fall of 1999, after fulfilling the requirements of Tennessee Peace Officers Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Commission, Aaron became a certified police officer. After shifting from corrections to the front-line in 2000, the following five years on patrol would afford Aaron an opportunity to serve his agency within the capacity of Field Training Officer (FTO)–a voluntary commitment in training new police recruits.
Following his promotion to the rank of Sergeant/Detective in 2006, and although spending the majority of his time assigned to the Major Crimes Division of the Sheriff’s Office investigating felonious crimes against persons, Aaron’s investigative expertise is multifaceted and inclusive of comprehensive investigative experience. Correspondingly, Aaron has conducted investigations from those encompassing missing person cases, property crimes, internet offenses, forgery and fraud violations to include both equivocal and unequivocal death investigations. This experience ultimately garnered Aaron a Lieutenant position entrusted with the supervision of a specialized unit focused on the exploration of multifarious incidents, both criminal and civil.
In 2012 unique strategies were implemented within a technologically driven investigative unit guided by customized algorithms and crime analysis; methods deployed to identify, follow, and arrest active career criminals. This division of investigations was initiated behind Aaron’s forward-thinking, a concern circumscribing the exploitation of an accelerating criminal enterprise adjoining computer science. Dedication to this discipline subsequently led to a Captain promotion where Aaron founded an additional division of the Sheriff’s Office, an intelligence bureau named the Special Investigations Unit.
As the current supervisor of the Technology division – a unit consisting of 35 employees, both civilian and certified police officers – Aaron’s responsibilities involve the administration of matters correlating with technology. Such commitment includes the maintenance of equipment involved within the Information and Technology Division; explorations of online deviant activity within the Digital Intelligence Unit; governance of the Organized Retail Theft Crime Division, Digital Communications, Forensic Services Unit, along with Cyber Investigations, Sex Offender Investigations, and Internet Crimes Against Children.
Throughout his career, Aaron has enthusiastically maintained the mentality that teamwork fosters groundwork. Equally, formerly a member of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard and Crisis Negotiation Team, Aaron is honored to contribute to distinguishing operations. Likewise and more recently, Aaron was honored to accept a position offered by the Tennessee Sheriffs’ Association, State Legislative Committee, as lead chair of the Technology Review Board.
Aaron continues to fulfill his love of Technology inside and out of his work voluntarily teaching Social Media Safety to parents he labeled as the S.M.A.R.T initiative, along with maintaining the Knox County Sheriff’s Office needs with Technology support, investigations and forensics.
Sgt. Angelia Daniels has been with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office since July 11, 1994. Prior to her career at KCSO, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing and Management from the University of Tennessee- Knoxville.
After completing her COTA class, she was first assigned to the Knox County Jail, then transferred to the Roger D Wilson Detention facility in October 1994. Sgt. Daniels was the first officer to have inmates as a pod officer, when the facility opened in November 1994. She went on to work in a variety of positions in corrections before being selected to attend the Knox Sheriff’s Regional Law Enforcement Academy in 1996, in which she served as Class Secretary. After Graduation, Angie worked in Transportation, then Criminal Warrants in 1997. Angie completed the FTO program in 2002, and returned to Criminal Warrants, working on the Felony Team until 2004. That’s when Angie began working with children as a School Security Officer with our KCSO School Unit until 2011.
In 2011, she was selected to become a Cyber Investigator and was promoted to Detective. As a Cyber Investigator, she worked with the National ICAC (Internet Crimes Against Children) Task Force and the US Secret Service Task Force. She successfully conducted over 350 investigations involving Solicitation and Exploitation of Minors, as well as assisted different units within the KCSO and other agencies on digital forensics, as well as serving on the Holiday Retail Task Force for 4 years. Detective Daniels completed over 600 hours of Cyber related training from ICAC, NW3C, Safe Surfin’ Foundation and the National Computer Forensics Institute in Hoover, Alabama.
She continues to conduct numerous presentations to promote Internet Safety to a variety of ages of children, Senior adults, Law Enforcement and other agencies
In October 2018, Captain Aaron Yarnell invited Detective Daniels to be a part of the newly formed Technology Division and to help form a new unit within Technology, now known as the Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU). The DIU was established to provide technical investigative assistance to all aspects of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. The DIU specializes in community outreach and promotion of the KCSO through our website, LEO only “InfoNet”, and our internal informational website “BlueNet”. We are also the lead unit in Video Forensics and collections. The DIU also strives to find the best technical resources for KCSO, including annual upgrades to county iPhones (at little cost), LPR and facial recognition software, useful online investigative tools and equipment, as well as investigative support. In April 2019, Detective Daniels was promoted to Unit lead of the DIU.
Sgt. Daniels earned the rank of Sergeant 2 in August 2021 and continues to enjoy serving her peers and community through a variety of tasks within the DIU.
Digital Intelligence Unit Investigator
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Jennifer Ward has been with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office since July 2014. Prior to her career at KCSO, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Operations Management from the University of Tennessee – Knoxville and an Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology from Pellissippi State.
She worked for the Knoxville Utilities Board from 2000-2005 as a Customer Service Representative and as a Business Management Analyst. During her time at KUB she worked on several software implementations involving the Customer Information System, payment processing, and utility billing.
In July of 2005 she was hired by the Finance Department of Knox County Government to aid in the implantation of the Lawson financial software. In January of 2010 Jennifer helped implement the Munis Human Resources and Financial software and was promoted to Position Control Manager in 2012 where she was responsible for budgeting and maintenance of all employee positions for the Knox County Government.
In July of 2014, Jennifer was hired by the Knox County Sheriff’s Office as the Human Resources Coordinator where she helped to streamline many hiring processes as well as maintained the budgeting for positions of the Sheriff’s Office. During this time Jennifer also worked as a consultant for the Knox County Government and continued creating their salary and benefit projections each fiscal year’s budget.
In 2019, Jennifer was assigned to Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) as a criminal analyst. While working in the DIU, she has received training in cyber investigations, money laundering, crypto currency, criminal intelligence, and financial crimes. She has helped to implement several new software systems including: QuickBooks, Flock, FirstTwo, BankScan, and Tip411. She provides support to the detective divisions with financial records, cell phone locations, and social media searches. Jennifer also creates maps and detailed Crystal Reports based on crime trends in general, specific criminal cases and other reports requested by supervisors and the administration.
If you would like to host a Tech Set Go class at your agency, contact us using the form.
On July 20, 1985 the burned body of Betty Joyce Brown,aka Simmons, was found in the woods at 3805 Maloney Road in South Knox County. The 29 year old Austin-East graduate had been stabbed before being burned. Ms. Brown was last seen on July 14, 1985 between midnight and 1:00am in front of the Bread Box at Magnolia Ave and Spruce Street. It is believed that Ms. Brown was offered and accepted a ride from an unknown subject. Ms. Brown’s last know address was 2737 Tarleton Ave. Initial investigation indicated that when Ms. Brown’s body was found, she had been dead approximately 1 week. Family members described Ms. Brown as being a “very sweet and loving mother.”
If you have any information please call the Knox County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit at (865)-215-3520/3590 or e-mail coldcase@knoxsheriff.org.