Earlier Monday morning, Austin Garrett was officially sworn in as Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy by Judge Gary Starnes.

Surrounded by his family, friends, members of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, and numerous law enforcement personnel and elected officials from the tri-state area, Austin Garrett took the oath of office at the Hamilton County Courts Building and has officially assumed the role of Chief Deputy.

As Chief Deputy, Austin Garrett will serve as the second highest ranking member of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and will be directly responsible for overseeing the HCSO Command Staff.

“I am proud to continue serving the Hamilton County community,” stated Chief Deputy Garrett. “I am humbled Sheriff Hammond has appointed me to serve in this leadership role alongside the men and women of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office,” he further noted.

Chief Deputy Garrett recently retired from the Chattanooga Police Department as a Lieutenant after twenty-five years of service.

He is also a recent graduate of the FBI National Academy (Session 273) and holds a Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice from Bethel University.