Coty Wamp
Coty Wamp said Monday that Vince Butler will serve as her campaign manager and the former Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Chris Devaney, will serve as an advisor and campaign spokesperson for her race for District Attorney General.
She said, "Like Mr. Butler, Mr. Devaney has led many successful Republican campaigns, including the recent election of Bill Lee as Tennessee Governor in 2018."
Ms.
Wamp said she plans to make her first public remarks on the campaign at the Pachyderm Club on Oct. 25 prior to her first fundraising event on Nov. 4.
The election is next May 3.
After serving three years as an Assistant Public Defender in Hamilton County and almost three years as an Assistant District Attorney in the 10th Judicial District, Ms. Wamp joined the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office as general counsel where she currently serves.
She said, “I am truly excited to begin this journey, and I look forward to visiting with residents across Hamilton County and sharing my vision for the office and discussing ways we can all work together to protect our children, seniors and families from violent criminals. As your District Attorney, I will strongly support and defend our heroes in law enforcement, advocate for and protect our community by sending violent criminals to prison, work towards creating a more efficient criminal justice system, and restore integrity and dignity to our District Attorney’s office.
"The quality of life we have enjoyed from exceptional growth and development in Hamilton County will be at risk if we do not come together now and tackle the most pressing issue facing our city - violent crime.
"The District Attorney is the chief prosecutor in the County and for far too long, our District Attorney has remained silent while violent crime has taken hold of our city. It is time for our community to have a District Attorney who will take a stand and bring our elected and community leaders together to find positive, solution-oriented ideas that will make our community and neighborhoods safer.
“I am running for District Attorney for many reasons, but the primary focus must be the destruction and heartache violent crime is causing in our community. The neighborhoods with the highest crime rates must know that their community and their elected officials care about them. Our solutions can no longer be hollow. I will create a Gang and Violent Crime Unit consisting of expert law enforcement officers who can work with community leaders and residents to create positive, recognizable, and lasting changes. We have to work together.”
She said she also "believes the District Attorney needs to prioritize its resources by focusing more on prosecuting violent crimes and less on lower-level offenses. Misdemeanors and petty offenses cannot remain pending in our Courts for months and years. As District Attorney, I will work with prosecutors in the office to resolve more cases in the lower court, so they do not clog the Grand Jury and Criminal Court dockets. I believe this change will create a more efficient criminal justice system and is achievable and realistic with the right leadership in the office.
“I will dedicate more resources to the prosecution of serious offenders by eliminating several inefficient, non-essential positions within the office and replace them with experienced prosecutors who will contribute every single day to the mission of prosecuting career criminals and keeping them off our streets.
"Most importantly, I believe law enforcement in Hamilton County should know and trust that their District Attorney supports them. The anti-police culture that some in our nation have recently promoted should have no place in Southeast Tennessee. Every single day, I will have the back of our honorable officers and deputies and ensure we are doing everything possible to keep criminals off the street. Join me as we change the culture, engage the inner city, and make our community a safer place to live.”