Former Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson announced that "the long chain of lawsuits that plagued both me as an individual and the department he led during his time in office has come to an end."
The former sheriff, who said he has become a successful entrepreneur as owner/operator of Watson Automotive & Golf Carts located at 223 3rd St. SW in Cleveland, said the final case ended last month when the issue before the court was dropped.
The former sheriff said, "The final lawsuit involved the case of Gary Lipps Jr., who was arrested April 16, 2017, after a family member called the BCSO with a tip about where he might be located along with concerns for his safety due to a history of illegal drug use.
"Lipps was eventually found to be in a residence on Gatlin Road in eastern Bradley County, near the Polk County Line.
He had been previously charged on Feb. 27, in Bradley County on possession of Schedule II drugs and possession of unlawful drug paraphernalia. He was being sought on a felony failure to appear on those charges, as well as a state violation of probation charge in Polk Count y.
"When Lipps did not respond to officer's requests to emerge from hiding, a BCSO K-9 was sent into the residence. Once found by the K-9, Lipps was wounded as he attempted to escape the K-9.
"He was transported to Tennova Healthcare for treatment of his wounds and then released into custody for transport to the Bradley County Jail."
The $5 million lawsuit was filed by Lipps one month after his arrest against the BCSO, Sheriff Watson, and BCSO K- 9 handler Dep. Eduardo Chote claiming "fright, disfigurement, suffering and pain" as well as accusing the department "may have negligently failed to properly train the K-9 or its handler."
"I am pleased this long line of baseless, useless and damaging accusations and frivolous lawsuits against myself and my administration has come to a successful conclusion," former Sheriff Watson stated. "Under my leadership, my staff was given the best training on appropriate procedures, rules, policies and laws as well as the most up-to-date tools in law enforcement. The men and women who served under me were the absolute best and their record-set ting number of cases solved is solid proof of that fact."
"I never had any doubt the actions of myself or the deputies who served under me could be defended and the courts have agreed with me time after time," the former sheriff continued. "To amplify the point even further, I never had to step foot in a courtroom one time on any of these cases".
"If I have any regrets, they are the personal and financial damages these baseless allegations against me and my staff did to the county, the department, and those of us whose integrity and service were brought into question.
"However, I remain without regret about my service as Bradley County sheriff and the remarkable, professional jobs that were done by those who served in my administration."