Sheriff Jim Hammond has appointed Coty Wamp to the position of general counsel for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. He said, "In this newly created in-house position, Ms. Wamp will be responsible for providing advice and counsel to the sheriff and his command staff on matters pertaining to investigations, daily operation, policy matters and public media inquiries.
"The new HCSO general counsel will work directly with the Hamilton County Attorney’s Office to gather information related to anticipated and pending litigation, the procurement and preservation of evidence and to identify other items necessary for discovery and trial work. The Hamilton County Attorney’s Office will continue to provide legal representation and counsel for the HCSO in lawsuits and trial advocacy. By instituting a general counsel position, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office will join the ranks of other large law enforcement agencies in Tennessee including the Knox County Sheriff’s Office as well as others throughout the nation by incorporating immediate, in-house legal counsel.
“My staff and I have discussed the notion of instituting a general counsel to support our daily legal needs for quite some time now. With the growing number of legal requests for discovery items, the amount of inquiries from members of the media, the upcoming transition of the Silverdale Detention Facility, and the increase in evidentiary requests, there couldn’t be a more pressing and important time for us to incorporate the services of a general counsel.
Sheriff Hammond said, "Having taken 10 felony cases to jury trials in the last six years, Coty Wamp has established herself as one of the most respected young criminal attorneys in East Tennessee prior to joining the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office as general counsel.
"She began her career as an assistant public defender in the Hamilton County Public Defender’s Office where she gained a firsthand understanding of the challenges facing law enforcement in Hamilton County. For the last three years, Ms. Wamp has served as an assistant district attorney in Bradley County in the 10th Judicial District under the leadership of District Attorney Steve Crump.
"As an assistant district attorney, Ms. Wamp has prosecuted a variety of criminal cases and cultivated numerous relationships with law enforcement which have played an important part in leading her to want to join the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. In her roles of assistant public defender and assistant district attorney, Ms. Wamp spent most of her time as an advocate in the courtroom – working to develop both the Mental Health Court in Hamilton County and Juvenile Recovery Court in Bradley County. While prosecuting, Ms. Wamp also became certified in Gang Prosecution through the National Gang Crime Research Center in 2019.
"Ms. Wamp’s experience has given her a unique appreciation for both sides of the criminal justice system. She is a firm believer that the rights of a criminal defendant are equally important to the peace and safety of the citizens of this community.
“My staff and I look forward to working with Ms. Wamp as we utilize her talents and expertise in order to better serve the legal needs of this agency. As a young, accomplished and professional woman, her point of view and her perspective will greatly enhance my command staff and our ability to serve the citizens of Hamilton County.”"
Born and raised in Hamilton County, Ms. Wamp graduated from Chattanooga Christian School. She is a graduate of the University of Tennessee (B.A., 2011) and the University of Tennessee College of Law (J.D., 2014).
Ms. Wamp said, “My role will be multi-faceted and my experience in criminal law as both a defense attorney and most recently a prosecutor, will give me a perspective that will be beneficial to the Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Hamilton County. I understand how important it is to protect both the rights of criminal defendants as well as support and uphold law enforcement for the sacrifices they make every single day.”