Sheriff Austin Garrett was sworn in as the 60th Sheriff of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, September 1, 2022.

Prior to being elected Sheriff, he was appointed to serve as Chief Deputy by his predecessor, Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond in February 2019. As Sheriff, he leads and directs the administration and operations of the 4th largest Sheriff’s Office in Tennessee, comprised of 540 employees and operating under a $65 million budget. As the 4th largest county in Tennessee, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is responsible for a jurisdiction spanning 576 square miles and over 369,000 citizens.

Sheriff Garrett holds a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Bethel University, is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 273, and graduated from the Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy Session 11. He has served as an advisory committee member with the University of Southern Mississippi’s National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4). Sheriff Garrett also serves as a board member for the Forgotten Child Fund that annually provides Christmas gifts to over 10,000 local children, as well as YCAP, Crime Stoppers, and the Hamilton County 911 Board. He also serves on the legislative committee for the Tennessee Sheriff’s Association.

Prior to his appointment as Chief Deputy, Sheriff Garrett served 25 years with the Chattanooga Police Department, retiring as a lieutenant, where he was responsible for command of the Tactical and Traffic Operations Division encompassing 13 specialized units.