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EMA director defends investigation report release after River Park allegation, commissioners press on Facebook posting
Summary
EMA Director Joe Esway told the Cocke County Legislative Body he conducted a documented investigation into a social-media allegation about an incident at Freeman River Park and released an 11‑page report after review; commissioners questioned whether posting the report publicly was necessary and raised concerns about victim privacy.
EMA Director Joe Esway told the Cocke County Legislative Body on March 16 that he had investigated an allegation involving the county’s river‑safety operation at Freeman River Park and had documented his findings in an 11‑page report.
“I did as thorough an investigation as I possibly could, given all the evidence so that I could collect,” Esway said, describing steps that included consulting the sheriff’s detective division, interviewing people named in the original post and seeking corroborating alibis. He said the investigation found that the social‑media claim that several people “saw and heard what happened” was not supported by evidence and that the allegation as initially posted overstated the number of witnesses.
A commissioner who had posted about the incident on Facebook read a prepared statement saying the victim told them the event occurred on March 7 and that the poster removed their message after private discussions with Esway. The commissioner said the subsequent public release of the EMA report “exposed victims” and “unleashed unwanted fear and outrage into our community.”
Esway said he considered whether the matter should be handled by a police report and explained that if the complainant had filed with the sheriff’s office, the sheriff’s investigation would have superseded his office’s work. Because no report was filed, Esway said his office proceeded with an administrative investigation. He also explained a limited redaction of a nine‑person photographic lineup to protect bystanders’ personal information.
On the question of releasing the report, Esway said he briefed the mayor and other officials, allowed time for review, and then released the report to the complainant, the chief of river safety, the person named in the allegation and to the public after those notifications. “The people wanted answers,” he said, adding that his chain of command is the mayor and that he acted within the scope of his office.
Chairman Greg Baxter interrupted at one point to note that the topic was not on the published agenda. After discussion, the chair arranged a brief follow‑up meeting and scheduled a public safety meeting to consider concerns raised during the discussion.
The body did not take any formal disciplinary action during the meeting; Esway said that if misconduct requiring discipline were found, he would refer the matter to the county attorney.
What happens next: the chair scheduled a brief meeting immediately after the session to continue the conversation and a later public safety meeting to examine park safety and possible camera placement.
