DIVISIONS

Administrative Civil Process Corrections Court Security Criminal Investigations Drug Enforcement Patrol School Resource Officers (SRO)

The duty of the civil process division is to serve civil warrants county wide.  These warrants cover orders of protection, subpoenas, evictions, court ordered property repossession, and other warrants related to civil law.  They also assist other agencies state wide by locating and serving civil process to Scott County citizens.

In 2008 a new correctional facility was opened and first operated by Sheriff Anthony Lay.  The facility has a total of 26 staff members to provide security for up to 150 inmates, 24 hours a day.  The facility is maintained by a control tower.  There is a booking station that is man powered 24 hours a day.

The Scott County Sheriff's Department has a strong chain-of-command structure inside its correctional facility.  The chain-of-command is led by Captain Kim Lowe.  Under her command is a Lieutenant and four (4) sergeants.  She is responsible for supervision of 25 correction deputies, and up to 150 inmates at the new facility.

Corrections deputies are responsible for the safe keeping of the inmates while they are in custody at the correction facility.  They are also responsible for the safety of the community by preventing inmates escaping from the facility.

Inmates are required to clean their areas, make their beds, and keep their personal belongings in a neat order.  Inmates are able to participate in church events, AA meetings, educational study events (such as GED classes).  Inmates are able to have visitors through video visitation at the facility.  Each inmate is given one hour per week for a video visit.

Inmates are given the privilege of commissary, provided by Swansons. Scott County makes only 24.5% from this program.  Sheriff Lay implemented the commissary program for two reasons:  (1) So inmates would have an opportunity for extra food items to eat throughout the day at their expense, not the county's.  (2) To keep drugs and weapons out of the facility.  Clothing and food items could be used to smuggle drugs and weapons into the facility if brought by people outside of the facility.  Sheriff Lay experienced this when taking office and has a goal of keeping the Scott County Correctional Facility drug and weapon free.

Below are links to important information regarding inmates at our facility:

Inmate Property Allowed In The Correctional Facility

The Scott County Sheriff's Department has two (2) full-time deputies that are assigned to court security while the courts are in session.  They cover General Sessions, Criminal Court, and Chancery Court.  Deputies are responsible for maintaining a safe and secure environment for the Judges, citizens, visitors, and inmates while in the Justice Center during court sessions.

The purpose of the Criminal Investigations Unit is to investigate all crimes in Scott County, TN.  These crimes are committed against persons, property, and society.  These crimes include: arson, child abuse, sexual crimes, domestic violence, gangs, murder, robbery, theft, vandalism, forgery, among others.

The Scott County Sheriff's Department has a specially built drug unit, formed after Sheriff Lay took office in 2006.  This unit consists of two (2) drug enforcement officers and three (3) drug dogs, as well as three (3) K-9 deputies.  This unit receives special training in undercover operations, surveillance, and Hydra training.  Some members of this unit have been given vehicle drug interdiction.

The Drug Unit works with confidential informants who buy drugs from drug dealers for the Sheriff's Department so that the dealers can be arrested and help clean our community of drugs and violence related to drug usage.  The interdiction teams, along with the K-9 units, work hard during traffic stops to find drugs inside of vehicles, reducing transportation of the drugs for resale.

School Resource Officers are certified Deputies who are assigned, full-time, to a school.  All school resource officers are specially trained after graduation from the Basic Law Enforcement training program.  An SRO is a Deputy that parents and students can turn to for help.  A person the can respect and depend on.  SRO officers protect children at school and provide security or the staff.  The SRO program was first implemented in Flint, Michigan in 1951.  It has now been implemented in thirty-five (35) states.

The 3 Responsibilities of School Resource Officers:

(1) Law Enforcer

(2) Instructor

(3) Advisor

School Resource Officers:

- are not school disciplinarians.  They only take action when laws are violated.

- promote a positive image of law enforcement and provide students with the knowledge of our laws,   why they were enacted, and there benefits.

- counsel students about the problems they face in relation to law violations.

- conduct classroom presentations on a variety of law related education issues.

- work with parents, students, educators, and the community to build "Safe" schools.

- Help young people make positive choices in their lives.