Randy Tyree joins sheriff's office

Randy Tyree

Well, this is interesting.The Knox County Sheriff's Office has hired former Knoxville Mayor Randy Tyree to serve as assistant coordinator for the Senior Citizens Awareness Network (SCAN) and Project Life Saver, according to a news release.

He'll help recruit and retain volunteers for the two programs.

In the statement, Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones said "Tyree's leadership in the community and his service in many non-profit organizations over the years make him a perfect fit for the job."

Tyree has served on the board of the Senior Citizen Home Assistance Service, Inc., the Clinics of Hope, which provides medical care for the uninsured and working poor, the East Tennessee Veterans Memorial Association, and has been commended for his leadership in establishing the Veterans Cemetery and the East Tennessee Veterans Nursing Home in Knox County.

The SCAN program, started in 1996, provides special training to volunteers who go out in the community to help the elderly.  They provide personal well-being checks, home security surveys, crime prevention information, victim outreach, and other agency referrals.

Project Life Saver is another volunteer program which provides electronic bracelets to Alzheimer’s patients or others who may have a tendency to wander and get lost. Electronic equipment can then be used to find their location.