Lieutenant Earlywine was terminated in 2022 after an internal investigation concluded he was untruthful during a 2020 probe into reports of racist comments by a subordinate officer. He appealed the termination, and in February 2023, a civil hearing officer ruled that his firing was not justified, leading to his reinstatement. However, he may still face disciplinary action for failing to properly report the conduct of the subordinate officer. ([wate.com](https://www.wate.com/news/top-stories/knoxville-police-lieutenant-to-be-reinstated-after-firing-appeal/?utm_source=openai))
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