Eric Scott

Current office and 2026 campaign

Eric Scott is an independent candidate for Sheriff of Hancock County, Tennessee, on the August 6, 2026 county-general ballot. He announced his independent candidacy in October 2025, campaigning on transparency, accountability, and applying the law equally without political favoritism ¹².

Background and education

Scott describes an early orientation toward service as a Cub Scout and high-school peer counselor. He joined the U.S. Army Reserves, trained as a Combat Medic and Behavioral Science Specialist, and served during Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm in the Gulf War ¹.

Career

Scott served as a law-enforcement officer with the Anne Arundel County Police Department in Maryland, progressing from patrol officer to detective to patrol supervisor, and holding specialty roles including Director of In-Service and Specialized Training and assignments in narcotics, missing-persons investigation, and the police training academy before retiring ¹. After relocating to Hancock County, he founded Protect 1 Firearms Training and Security Assessments in 2017, providing handgun-permit classes and active-shooter training to schools, churches, and medical facilities in Tennessee and Kentucky ¹. He joined the Hancock County Sheriff's Office in 2018 as Training Officer and Grants Coordinator, and says he has written $4 million in grants for the agency to fund equipment, vehicles, technology, and school-resource-officer positions ¹.

Career and community involvement

Scott is a member of Sneedville American Legion Post #183, where he has served as Post Adjutant, Assistant Post Commander, and Post Commander, and helped start a Veterans Pantry providing supplemental food to Hancock County veterans ¹.

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