HCSO Training Sergeant Jeremy Durham Receives Hamilton Place Rotary’s Service Above

Self in Law Enforcement Award

Hamilton County, TN – Earlier this morning, the Chattanooga Hamilton Place Rotary Club presented Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Training Sergeant Jeremy Durham with their prestigious Service Above Self in Law Enforcement Award at their monthly luncheon held at the Metro Tab Church.

Each year, the Chattanooga Hamilton Place Rotary Club takes the opportunity to recognize members of their local law enforcement community who have gone above and beyond to serve the needs of their respective communities and embody their organization’s motto of “Service Above Self. As part of the award, the Chattanooga Hamilton Place Rotary also included a donation to Sergeant Durham’s charity of Choice.

Sergeant Durham currently serves as our agency’s General Departmental Instructor (GDI) and oversees the Office of Training & Professional Standards which is responsible for our agency’s training needs. Sergeant Durham is a 25-year veteran of law enforcement and during his tenure at this agency, he has served honorably in a variety of assignments prior to his current role including SWAT operator, Field Training Officer (FTO), School Resource Deputy, Honor Guard, and a member of the Gang Taskforce.

“On behalf of the Hamilton Place Rotary Club, we are pleased to be able to honor Training Sergeant Jeremy Durham with this award. Law Enforcement Officers do so much to help others in our community and do not receive the recognition they deserve for their service,” stated Stan Hildebrand, President of the Hamilton Place Rotary. “We created this award as a way to say thank you to the Law Enforcement Community and we hope that this will be a small step in the right direction to recognize the service they provide every day,” he further noted.

Sergeant Durham also serves as the Grant Manager responsible for overseeing the HCSO’s Mental Health Transport Grant. This unique grant provides approximately one million dollars annually for the HCSO and local law enforcement personnel to contract with a private medical transport service to provide transportation for individuals who are suffering from a mental health crisis. With approximately 3,000 transports annually, this grant allows individuals suffering from mental illness to be transported with dignity in a more humane manner to a care facility rather than being placed in the back of a patrol unit which can have negative, adverse effects on the individual in crisis.

In addition to his oversight of the Mental Health Transport Grant, Sergeant Durham also serves as the HCSO’s Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) Coordinator. Our Crisis Intervention Team is comprised of specially trained law enforcement and corrections personnel who respond to incidents involving individuals experiencing a mental illness related crisis.

Through his role as Agency GDI, Grant Manager for the Mental Health Transport Grant, and as our CIT Coordinator, Sergeant Durham has shown a demonstrated concern and passion for helping those who are dealing with or suffering from mental illness. He has developed a reputation within our law enforcement and mental health services community as someone who is genuinely concerned with the well-being and treatment of those in crisis.

“Sergeant Durham’s values and selflessness embodies the true definition of a servant leader. His dedication, service and commitment to his family, the HCSO, and the citizens to which he serves exemplifies the Rotary’s motto of “Service Above Self,” stated Sheriff Austin Garrett.

Sergeant Durham selected Erlanger Hospital to be his charity of choice for the monetary donation from the Chattanooga Hamilton Place Rotary.

Please join us as we congratulate HCSO Training Sergeant Jeremy Durham on his award and for his service to the citizens of Hamilton County.