Fugitive/Criminal Warrants Division
The Fugitive/Criminal Warrants Division of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office was established in 1978. At inception it consisted of four people. Over the years this division has rapidly grown and now consists of fifteen full-time employees. Supervisor, Lt. Lenda Clark, was transferred to this division in 1978 as Office Coordinator. She has since been promoted through the ranks to Lieutenant and is the first (and only) female to ever hold this rank within the Sheriff’s Office.
The responsibility of processing all arrest orders and making arrests on these orders are the main functions of this office. The Sheriff’s Office entries into the NCIC (National Crime Information Center) wanted person files, TCIC (Tennessee Crime Information Center) and the local wanted person database are done by this division. At present, this office receives an average of three hundred arrest orders per week. In January 2003, the Fugitive Division began serving mental commitment orders as well.
Extradition, the return of an individual from a sister state to stand trial, is another function performed by this division. The extradition process requires the signature of the governor of the asylum state as well as the governor of the demanding state, which therefore constitutes a Governor’s Warrant. This process is sought when a subject refuses to return to a demanding state for trial proceedings. The most highly publicized extradition case in the State of Tennessee came from this department’s 1990 arrest of Byron DeLa Beckwith. This case consisted of his refusing extradition from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Jackson, Mississippi to face charges in the 1963 slaying of civil rights activist Medgar Evers. He has since deceased while serving time in custody of the Mississippi Prison System.
By formation of this division more criminals have been brought to justice. As this branch of the Sheriff’s Office continues in growth, the needs of Hamilton County communities are sure to be maintained.
Investigator Roster
| Lieutenant Lenda Clark | 209-7147 |
| Sergeant Gary Farmer | 209-7145 |
| Detective Windole Adams | 209-7153 |
| Detective J. C. Bowen | 209-7149 |
| Detective Dewayne Brown | 209-7182 |
| Detective Ken Cox | 209-7142 |
| Detective Blake Daniel | 209-7137 |
| Detective James Hobby | 209-7181 |
| Detective Gil Jemison | 209-7138 |
| Detective Mike Mayo | 209-7180 |
| Detective David Rodery | 209-7185 |
| Detective Gary Vanhooser | 209-7184 |
| Detective Anthony Wilson | 209-7146 |
| Secretary Julia Williamson | 209-7143 |
| Lisa Holland | 209-7148 |
Most Wanted
The Fugitive Division, in conjunction with the IS Division, has compiled a list of the 12 Most Wanted fugitives.
Click here to see a list of Hamilton County's 12 Most Wanted.Contact Information
Fugitive/Criminal Warrants Division
601 Walnut Street
Chattanooga, TN 37402
Phone: (423) 209-7140
Fax: (423) 209-7141
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