{"county":"hamilton","description":null,"district":"hamilton","districtgroup":"county","id":460,"key":"sheriff","lastchangeby":null,"name":"Austin Garrett","next_election":null,"notes":null,"officegroup":null,"partisan":0,"party":null,"qualities":"- Organizational leadership of a roughly 1,500-person agency including sworn deputies and corrections staff.\n- Oversight of a 2,500-plus inmate jail complex, including health services, intake, and release.\n- Working knowledge of Tennessee criminal law, court process, and constitutional search-and-seizure standards.\n- Ability to develop and oversee a multimillion-dollar operating budget with public accountability.\n- Community-relations capacity across Shelby County's diverse populations.\n- Documented law-enforcement or public-safety background.","quantity":1,"source":null,"state":"TN","term_end":"2026-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01","term_years":4,"terms":[{"current":1,"description":null,"electiondate":"2022-08-04","name":"Austin Garrett","person":{"biography":"Austin Garrett is a Republican candidate running for re-election as Sheriff of Hamilton County, Tennessee, in the May 5, 2026, primary election [8]. He was first elected to the office in 2022 and sworn in on September 1, 2022, becoming the 60th Sheriff of the Hamilton County Sheriff\u2019s Office [4]. Prior to his election as sheriff, Garrett served as Chief Deputy, an appointment made by his predecessor, Sheriff Jim Hammond, in February 2019 [4]. Before joining the Sheriff's Office, he spent 25 years with the Chattanooga Police Department, retiring as a lieutenant after commanding the Tactical and Traffic Operations Division [4].\n\nGarrett holds a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Bethel University and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 273 and the Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy Session 11 [4]. As Sheriff, he oversees an agency with 540 personnel and a budget exceeding $68 million, serving Hamilton County, which has over 369,000 residents across 576 square miles [4]. During his first term, Garrett focused on consolidating jail facilities, implementing historic pay raises for employees, and establishing a recruiting services unit that gained national recognition [5]. He also pursued a voluntary agreement with federal immigration authorities to identify unauthorized immigrants arrested on criminal charges [10].\n\nGarrett was born in Bryant, Alabama, and moved to Hamilton County in 1993 [4]. He is married to Pam McAllister-Garrett, and they have two children, Haley Masterson and Maddie Garrett [4]. The couple are members of Shelter Church in East Brainerd [4]. In addition to his official duties, Garrett serves on the legislative committee for the Tennessee Sheriff\u2019s Association and as a board member for organizations including YCAP, Crime Stoppers, the Hamilton County 911 Board, and the Forgotten Child Fund [4]. He announced his re-election bid in September 2025, stating his first term focused on building a brand founded on customer service, professionalism, and innovation [8].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Austin Garrett - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Austin_Garrett)\n- [2] [United States Senate election in Tennessee, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/United_States_Senate_election_in_Tennessee,_2026)\n- [3] [Tennessee gubernatorial election, 2026 - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Tennessee_gubernatorial_election,_2026)\n- [4] [Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Website](https://www.hcsheriff.gov/gen_info/about_sheriff.php)\n- [5] [Hamilton County Sheriff\u2019s Office-Tennessee-Press Releases](https://www.hcsheriff.gov/pressreleases/display.php?releaseid=1135)\n- [6] [Candidate Lists | Tennessee Secretary of State](https://sos.tn.gov/elections/2026-candidate-lists)\n- [7] [Sheriff Austin Garret Announces Endorsements In Hamilton County Commission Primaries - Chattanoogan.com](https://www.chattanoogan.com/2026/4/28/518063/Sheriff-Austin-Garret-Announces.aspx)\n- [8] [Sheriff Austin Garrett running for reelection | Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/sep/04/sheriff-austin-garrett-running-for-reelection/)\n- [9] [Chief Deputy Austin Garrett announces bid for Hamilton County sheriff | Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2021/oct/14/chief-deputy-austin-garrett-run-hamilton-sheriff/556057/)\n- [10] [Hamilton County Sheriff says his office moving forward on ICE agreement | Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2025/feb/27/hamilton-county-sheriff-says-his-office-moving/)","firstname":"Austin","lastname":"Garrett","token":"NYQIghGxQ0"},"term_end":"2026-09-01","term_start":"2022-09-01"}],"title":"Sheriff","type":"executive","url":null,"whenchanged":"2026-04-26 14:43:24"}