sheriff

Sheriff
Fred Phillips

Sheriff Phillips is at the midway point of his second term as Sheriff of Washington County. The Sheriff holds a degree in law enforecemtn administration, and has 36 years experience in law enforcement. He retired after 27 years with the Johnson City Police Department, where he served as Deputy Police Chief, Police Chief and as Johnson City's first Director of Public Safety.
After Sheriff Phillips' retirement, he went to serve as Director of the Law Enforcement Training Academy in Nashville. Later, Governor Ned McWherter named Sheriff Phillips to the position of Deputy State Safety Commissioner and Commander of the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Sheriff Phillips serves on the Board of Directors of the National Sheriff's Association, and he served as President of the Tennessee Sheriff's Association in 1998 and 1999. By unanimous vote, he was elected Sheriff of the year for Tennessee in 1999.

The sheriff and deputies are the conservators
of the peace in the county and may enforce the
civil and criminal laws. They also serve legal
process, take custody of the jail or workhouse
and the prisoners, and may deputize any citizen
of the county to assist in carrying out the duties
of the office.
The sheriff is elected to a four-year term and must
have the following qualifications:

twenty-one years of age;
a qualified voter of the county;
a high school graduate or equivalent;
no felony convictions by a U.S. federal, state or territorial count;
no armed forces discharge but an honorable discharge;
fingerprints of file with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation;
free from apparent mental disorders;
a citizen of the United States and Tennessee;
not a member of the General Assembly or practicing attorney.

The sheriff may collect fees, which are turned over to the
trustee. However, the office is always on the salary system,
through appropriations for salaries and expenses paid out of
the county general fund rather than fees to help insure the fair
and impartial administration of law enforcement duties.
Any newly employed deputy, special or part-time deputy
must meet certain minimum standards similar to those required
for sheriffs.