KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A Knoxville police officer, who has been placed on leave and suspended following a theft charge, has submitted his paperwork for retirement.

On Jan. 23, Officer Kenno Carlos submitted his paperwork for retirement while under investigation, according to Knoxville Police Department spokesperson Scott Erland.

The Knoxville Police Department said on Saturday that Carlos was charged with misdemeanor theft after an internal investigation. He has been with the department since 1994.

On Wednesday morning, a Knoxville Police Department employee reported missing property from his locker. The department’s investigation found that Officer Carlos entered the locker room while on duty in the early hours of Wednesday morning and walked out with the property.

Officer Kenno Carlos (Knoxville Police Department)

Knoxville Police Chief Paul Noel talked with the press Saturday morning where he called the actions of the 27-year veteran “unacceptable.”

“Obviously, it’s very frustrating. It’s a breach of our trust. It’s a breach of the public’s trust, and it’s behavior that we will not tolerate at the Knoxville Police Department,” Noel said. “We have standards. We have a code of ethics. We have a code of conduct and he violated that.”

The incident report notes that a duty belt, a flashlight, a baton, a baton holder, handcuffs and a handcuff case, cone spray and a spray holder, a radio holder, a multi-tool, a pocket knife, gloves, and a pair of Reebok duty boots were taken from the locker.

The narrative from the incident report states a cadet notified a sergeant that items were missing from his locker Wednesday morning. The cadet normally changes clothes in the locker room, leaving most of his equipment in the locker, but when he returned Wednesday after leaving his gear in the locker Tuesday afternoon, he noticed several items were missing. The incident report says a cadet’s ballistic vest was still hanging in the locker and his jacket was lying at the bottom of the locker.

Chief Noel said that Carlos was cooperative with the investigation and that when he was confronted, Carlos admitted to taking the items and took officers to his home where the items were.

According to a spokesperson for the department, Carlos was questioned by KPD Property Crimes investigators on Friday night and confessed to taking the property. Police say he was issued a misdemeanor citation for theft.

EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated with new information.