Tonight at the Knox County Commission work session the four restructuring ordinances on the Knox County Merit System/Council for Knox County Sheriff’s Employees brought by Commissioner Larsen Jay, Sheriff Tom Spangler and Law Director David Buuck were discussed again. They were discussed ad nauseam on Thursday night July 15, 2021, as it has been an ongoing discussion since October 2020.
Commissioner Courtney Durrett had asked former Knox County Sheriff Tim Hutchison for his institutional knowledge and thoughts on the Merit Council. He served as Sheriff from September 1, 1990 until January 2007. Spangler was Hutchison’s last Chief Deputy. In addition, Spangler was promoted from Detective up to Chief Deputy all under Hutchison.
Former Knox County Sheriff Tim Hutchison and I at a Concord Farragut Republican Club Meeting a few years ago.
Hutchison was unable to attend tonight, due to a family matter. He did however send a letter expressing his thoughts. I talked with Hutchison on the phone tonight, his only interest is the employees of the Knox County Sheriff’s Department and the protections they are afforded and deserve as men and women that serve, protect and put their lives on the line for the citizens of Knox County.
Additionally Hutchison reminded me that when the now Roger D. Wilson Facility was built. There was recruitment to bring on all the corrections staff to run such a large facility. Hutchison and his staff around 1994 did the recruitment.
Dear Commissioners,
I have been asked to provide a small history of my experience with the Merit System Council. I apologize for not appearing in person as a current personal family problem precludes that from occurring today. I went to work at the Sheriff’s Office January 5, 1975. The Merit System was quite new then and had not started doing their own Civil Service testing. I had to go take my test at the City of Knoxville Civil Service Board, who then provided testing for Knox County Merit System. The Merit System is there to prevent politics from Knox County and to maintain a professional Office with a professional staff of Officers for Patrol, Corrections and Courts. AS did the two Sheriff’s following my terms of Office, Jones and Spangler and myself all worked under and enjoyed being protected by the Merit System from political influence throughout our careers prior to being elected Sheriff.
- Merit System (M.S.) was established by State Legislation to prevent a Sheriff from firing or punishing at will, as was typically done in the early 1970’s, especially when new Sheriffs were elected and took office.
- S. was established to have Sheriffs’ Offices across Tennessee become more professional and keep the experienced Officers in the Department protecting the public.
- S. is set to provide testing and interviews for ALL applicants to remove political favoritism for select applicants.
- It is paramount for the Officers and employees to have a right to a hearing if there is a perceived wrong; removing these protections leaves them feeling lost with no hope and will only make matters worse in the long run.
- Removing their protection may leave them feeling their only choice is to seek a Union to represent them, as was considered with the Teamsters Union in the 70’s.
- ALL applicants applying to work at the Sheriff’s Office through the M.S. must pass the required standards and are then placed on an eligibility list, from which the Sheriff can then hire.
- Promotional testing is provided by the M.S. to ensure no political intervention or favoritism.
- Nothing now precludes the Sheriff’s Office from recruiting, as we did when I was Sheriff and as the Sheriff’s Office should have been doing the last couple of years with large numbers of employees leaving.
- Adding more M.S. members is nothing more than trying to pack the board for favoritism to one side.
- If more is better then why did we reduce the Knox County Commission from 19 members to present 11 members?
- If you want to compare what other jurisdictions have in leadership areas, remember Nashville has a 40-member Council.
- A three member M.S. board with an alternate is quite adequate.
- To my knowledge I, nor any prior Sheriff, have ever fought or sought to change the M.S. rules or board. It is paramount for the Sheriff and staff to work with the M.S., not fight them.
- The M.S. Council members have been very professional, and they do not deserve any attack as they are selected and appointed by the County Commission.
- It is incumbent on Commission to stand behind and protect the board members you have chosen from these attacks and overzealous politics and leaders.
The Merit System staff has done an outstanding job trying to keep applicants on the eligibility list during this time of unprecedented numbers of Officers quitting the Sheriff’s Office.
I would urge each of you Commissioners to resist this assault on the Merit System Members and staff. They are there to prevent exactly what is happening at this time, a political takeover.
Sincerely,
I am,
Tim Hutchison
Sheriff (ret.)
