Apparently the Knox County Sheriff’s Department Merit Council met recently. Watching the proceedings was Don Wiser a former Knoxville Police Department Investigator.

At some point Wiser made a comment that made others believe he said he was there for Tom Spangler a 2018 announced candidate for Knox County Sheriff. In a phone conversation today, Wiser explained that he is “for” Tom Spangler for Sheriff in 2018, meaning  he will vote for him and ask his friends to vote for him. Wiser was not speaking for or attempting to represent Spangler at the meeting.

Wiser said he was there to witness any attempts by the Sheriff’s Department to place administratively appointed positions under the Merit System, like the Director of Procurement. He said that he also has concerns about the office of monitoring (the office that places ankle bracelets on individuals that must be monitored per court order)

Wiser is set to be back in court on 12/5/2017 for motions on a possible second trial for allegations involving the operation of a traffic school that Wiser operated in leased commercial property belonging to former Knox County Commissioner Robert Lawrence Smith. Wiser’s first trial was tossed out last year.