When I took office in 2014, there was lots of work to be done. With the help of my experienced Command Staff we were able to create the best Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee. In the past 11 years we have:
- Rebranded the entire agency to a Sheriff’s Office, instead of a department, including new uniforms, body armor, firearms, patrol rifles, and new vehicles.
- Prioritized school safety by creating a state of the art SRO tactical training program and ensuring every Putnam County School has at least one School Resource Deputy.
- Modernized and completely renovated PCSO Dispatch including adding a 4th Dispatch Station along with an entire new CAD and Records Management system on a new safer, more secure network.
- Started the first PCSO Motors Unit to improve traffic enforcement.
- Ensured Deputies had access to top notch training by building a private Range/Classroom (with no tax-payer dollars), training classrooms, and a reality based simulator.
- Provided PCSO employees with the opportunity to attend FBINA Academy and the TBI Leadership Academy.
- Added an aviation unit that provides Deputies the capability to track subjects and assess high risk situations from the air.
- The Sheriff’s Office successfully became Tennessee Law Enforcement Accredited (TLEA) in 2017 and then re-accredited in 2021.PCSO was the 4th Sheriff’s Office in the state of Tennessee to become TLEA accredited.
- Putnam County Jail became Tennessee Corrections Institute (TCI) accredited in 2023. The purpose of accreditation is to improve the professionalism of the department and to publicly demonstrate proficiency in our profession.
- Expanded our Special Operations Division with enhanced K9 training and new tactical body armor and weapons for SWAT.
- Updates to our correctional facilities including PREA for Juvenile, and the Putnam County Jail. Also a Jail Expansion, new Jail Transport/Workhouse vans, enhanced Calling and Commissary System, and multiple Jail Rehabilitation Programs.
- Implemented the first ever Work Release program.
- Received a Mobile Command Center, trailers for disaster response, crime scene response unit, side by sides and 4 wheelers, and a new MRAP which have all proven useful in times of disaster or serious crime.
- Higher standard of professionalism for employees with a standardized hiring process including mandatory and randomized drug screenings.
- Information technology improvements with own network domain and Microsoft email system, along with new, enhanced technology and computers.
