On Tuesday, Sheriff Austin Garrett, members of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, Tennessee Sheriff’s Association, and numerous elected officials, law enforcement colleagues, and community members throughout our region officially recognized the retirement of Deputy Chief of Law Enforcement, Mark King.

Also in attendance were former Hamilton County Sheriffs’ Jim Hammond, Allen Branum, and John Cupp as well as County Mayor Weston Wamp, Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp, and Hamilton County Commission Chairman Jeff Eversole.

Promoted by Sheriff Jim Hammond in July of 2018, Chief King has been directly responsible for overseeing all law enforcement and investigative functions of the HCSO including, but not limited to, Uniformed Services, Criminal Investigations, Operational Support, Court Security, SWAT, and the School Resource Deputy Unit.

“Deputy Chief Mark King is known throughout our county for his reputation for being a true law enforcement professional,” Sheriff Garrett said. “I have spent most of my career working in some capacity with Mark and throughout that time, I have had the privilege to witness his commitment and service to the citizens of Hamilton County and his devotion to the very nobility of the law enforcement profession.

“His retirement will leave a significant void in our ranks and his decades of service will be remembered for generations to come. We wish him all the best in his retirement and in all future endeavors.”  

Deputy Chief King began his career with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office as an Explorer in High School in 1984. Upon graduation from Red Bank High School in 1985, he joined the HCSO Reserve Deputy Program and was eventually hired as a Corrections Officer in August of 1986. During his career with the HCSO, he has served in numerous divisions and leadership positions.

Deputy Chief King has served in numerous command roles during his tenure with the HCSO prior to his appointment to Deputy Chief. His prior ranks include Detective, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain of Uniformed Patrol. During his time as a detective, he served in Narcotics and Special Operations as well as Investigative Services prior to being promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 2013.

One of Deputy Chief King’s most important legacies is his dedication and commitment to establishing the modern HCSO Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team and its predecessor, the Special Response Team. For many years, his name has been synonymous with SWAT operations and training and having served as its Commander for numerous years, much of his career has been spent expanding its capabilities and profile in the region.

Deputy Chief King is a graduate of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy (Class of 1992), the Southeast Leadership Academy of the University of Tennessee Law Enforcement Innovation Center (Class of 2016), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Academy in 2011 (Session 246).