On March 23, the Chattanooga Police Department notified the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office that a recently hired lateral transfer was allegedly found engaging in conduct unbecoming of an officer behind Hamilton Place Mall. The deputy was off duty at the time of the alleged incident.
The employee, Bryan Coker, was a lateral hire set to begin the state’s P.O.S.T. Lateral Academy on March 25. The P.O.S.T. Lateral Academy is a three-week academy designed for law enforcement personnel P.O.S.T. certified in other states to train and familiarize themselves with Tennessee’s law enforcement standards. Upon completion, they test for the State of Tennessee’s P.O.S.T. certification.
Since his lateral hire in October 2018, Coker had been partnered with a fulltime field training officer until he was scheduled to begin the lateral academy.
Upon being notified of the incident, the deputy was immediately suspended from duty with pay and an Internal Affairs investigation was initiated.
On March 26, as Deputy Coker was still within his six month probationary period, Sheriff Jim Hammond officially terminated his employment status with the HCSO.
No further details are available.
Source: HCSO