CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is looking to continue a safety initiative in downtown Chattanooga.
This initiative began in 2023 after the murder of Christopher Wright in front of Patten Towers.
Darryl Roberts was sentenced to 90 years in prison for his murder last month.
Since that incident, Sheriff’s deputies have assisted Chattanooga police officers in patrolling downtown.
Hamilton County Sheriff Austin Garrett says these patrols, which require overtime to be paid from the county’s hotel/motel tax, are essential to be continued.
The Sheriff said, “We’re all operating on limited budgets, it allows me to have the overtime flexibility to put deputies in the downtown area when they’re needed…With tourism and visitors coming in for whatever their purpose is, that continuing is dependent on how safe our city and county is.”
The Hamilton County Commission will vote on extending this initiative next week.
