Protecting and Serving with Heart – Nolensville Police Officer, Tomi King

Born in Washington State and raised between there and Georgia in a military family, I grew up constantly adapting to change. In 2017, I put down roots in Tennessee—where I would not only find my career, but also build a life grounded in purpose and family.

Law enforcement wasn’t always the plan, but in many ways, it felt inevitable. My family and I endured some very real, very painful experiences growing up. The kind that change you. I didn’t always feel seen or protected, and those moments became fuel for something bigger: a desire to step into the gap for others—especially those who feel overlooked or unheard.

I began in corrections, then served as a probation officer before becoming a patrol officer with the Nolensville Police Department. Each step brought me closer to the front lines of service, where I could make a direct impact. Watching my dad transition from the Army into policing showed me that this path, though difficult, is sacred work. It’s about showing up, standing firm, and being a source of calm in chaos.

But the badge isn’t the only part of who I am. I’m a wife to an incredible man I met in corrections—now a school resource officer—and a mother to two little girls who are my whole world. I want to be someone they can look up to. I want them—and any girl who looks like me, small and soft-spoken—to know that strength doesn’t have to shout. It just has to show up.

When I’m not in uniform, you’ll find me by the pool with my family, cheering from the sidelines of my daughters’ games, reading, writing, hunting in the fall, or playing video games when life slows down. These are the moments that center me—the quiet joy that balances the weight of the badge.

I didn’t become a police officer to have power. I became one so others could feel safe. So they’d know someone’s fighting for them, even when they don’t have the words to ask.