{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"CLIFFORD CAMP","chatgptsummary":"Clifford Camp's biography shows nine years of law-enforcement experience as a patrol officer with the Whitwell Police Department, providing a documented background relevant to the office's requirement for public-safety experience. The record does not indicate prior organizational leadership of a sheriff's office, oversight of county jail operations, or direct experience developing and managing a large operating budget.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nClifford Camp is an independent candidate for Sequatchie County Sheriff on the August 6, 2026 ballot.[1] He has proposed dividing the county into three sectors with a deputy patrolling each at all times to reduce traffic accidents, and says he would work closely with the drug task force and the district attorney's office.[1]\n\n## Career\nCamp is a patrol officer with the Whitwell Police Department and has nine years of law-enforcement experience.[1]\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Sheriff candidates field questions as election day is closer \u2014 The Dunlap-Tribune](https://www.thedunlap-tribune.com/2026/07/21/sheriff-candidates-fi-eld-questions-as-election-day-is-closer/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"CLIFFORD","lastname":"CAMP","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"AGccnX1tBq"},"token":"clifford_camp"},{"candidatename":"BILL PHILLIPS","chatgptsummary":"Bill Phillips's biography shows extensive law-enforcement experience, including 28 years with the Chattanooga Police Department and leadership roles in homicide investigations and department restructuring. He currently serves as Sequatchie County Sheriff, having won election in 2022 after previously losing a primary contest. Bio does not indicate specific experience managing county jail operations or developing the office's operating budget.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nBill Phillips is the incumbent Sheriff of Sequatchie County and is seeking reelection on the August 6, 2026 general-election ballot as the Republican nominee.[2][3] He faces independent challengers Scott Ogrodowczyk and Clifford Camp.[3]\n\n## Background and education\nPhillips was raised in the south end of Sequatchie County and graduated from Sequatchie County High School in 1985.[1] In 2022 he was reported to be a resident of Lewis Chapel Mountain on the east side of the county.[2]\n\n## Career\nPhillips retired from the Chattanooga Police Department after 28 years of service, with assignments in narcotics and vice, midnight patrol in high-crime areas, and the Homicide Unit beginning in 1994, where he worked as detective, supervisor, and manager; he finished his career restructuring the department's investigative services.[1] He received the Chattanooga Police Department's Outstanding Performance Award and recognition from the U.S. Attorney, the Hamilton County District Attorney, and the U.S. Department of Justice, and has instructed law-enforcement officers across the Southeast in homicide investigation, cold cases, narcotics, explosives, child abuse, domestic violence, and police management.[1]\n\n## Office history\nPhillips ran for Sequatchie County Sheriff in 2018, losing to Coy Swanger, and in 2022 he defeated incumbent Sheriff Swanger in the Republican primary, 1,632 votes to 1,470, and won the office.[2]\n\n## Family\nPhillips has been married to his wife, Wendy, for 34 years; they have four adult children and nine grandchildren and are members of Way of the Cross Baptist Church.[1] He has volunteered with youth sports, serving as president of Sequatchie County G.I.R.L.S. softball and helping establish the county's middle-school softball program.[1]\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Bill Phillips for Sequatchie Co Sheriff \u2014 About](https://billforsheriff.com/about) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Sequatchie's incumbent sheriff loses Republican primary, Grundy's survives with four-vote margin \u2014 Chattanooga Times Free Press](https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2022/may/04/sequatchies-incumbent-sheriff-loses-republicp/568352/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[3] [Sheriff candidates field questions as election day is closer \u2014 The Dunlap-Tribune](https://www.thedunlap-tribune.com/2026/07/21/sheriff-candidates-fi-eld-questions-as-election-day-is-closer/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"BILL","lastname":"PHILLIPS","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"qbwjRVgZwm"},"token":"bill_phillips"},{"candidatename":"SCOTT \"SCOTT O.\" OGRODOWCZYK","chatgptsummary":"Ogrodowczyk's biography shows extensive law-enforcement experience, including roles as a patrol supervisor, detective, and director of training within Signal Mountain Police and Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. He has instructed in about 20 subject areas and served on the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Officers Association board. Bio does not indicate direct experience managing a county jail or developing an operating budget for a sheriff's office.","notes":null,"party":"I","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nScott \"Scott O.\" Ogrodowczyk is an independent candidate for Sequatchie County Sheriff on the August 6, 2026 ballot.[1][2] He lists his campaign priorities as training, professionalism, accessibility, and transparency.[1]\n\n## Background and education\nOgrodowczyk holds a bachelor's degree in history and attended law school for several semesters.[1]\n\n## Career\nOgrodowczyk is a captain with the Signal Mountain Police Department, where he served as interim police chief in 2014-2015.[1] His law-enforcement career began as a volunteer reserve officer in Signal Mountain (1990-1996), followed by four years as a full-time officer there, then time with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office (2000-2003) as a school resource officer and patrol officer, and a special-investigations role at BlueCross BlueShield before he returned to Signal Mountain.[1] He has held roles including dispatcher, patrol officer, detective, patrol supervisor, field training officer, patrol commander, and director of training, has instructed in about 20 subject areas, and served on the board of the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Officers Association (2014-2024).[1]\n\n## Family\nHis son attends Sequatchie County High School.[1]\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Candidate Interviews: Scott Ogrodowczyk \u2014 Sequatchie Post](https://www.facebook.com/61559850526176/posts/candidate-interviews-scott-ogrodowczykscott-scott-o-ogrodowczyk-pronounced-o-gro/122206454372328350/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23\n[2] [Sheriff candidates field questions as election day is closer \u2014 The Dunlap-Tribune](https://www.thedunlap-tribune.com/2026/07/21/sheriff-candidates-fi-eld-questions-as-election-day-is-closer/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-23","firstname":"SCOTT","lastname":"OGRODOWCZYK","middlename":"\"SCOTT O.\"","suffix":null,"token":"b7fGFyjvpt"},"token":"scott_scott_o_ogrodowczyk"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"sheriff","o.office":null,"office":"sheriff","officedescription":"The sheriff is the county's chief law-enforcement officer. The office operates the county jail, provides court security, serves civil process and executes warrants, and provides patrol and investigation \u2014 a large operational command with a substantial budget.","officequalities":"- Organizational leadership of a sheriff's office spanning patrol, investigations, court services, and the county jail.\n- Oversight of the county jail, including intake, inmate health, and release procedures.\n- Working knowledge of Tennessee criminal law, court process, and constitutional search-and-seizure standards.\n- Ability to develop and oversee the office's operating budget with public accountability.\n- Coordination with municipal police departments and neighboring-county and state agencies.\n- A documented law-enforcement or public-safety background.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"Sheriff","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-21","title":"Sequatchie County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://tnsos.org/elections/ballots/741.pdf"},"title":"Sheriff"}