Sheriff Jim Hammond has tapped Coty Wamp to be his department’s general counsel.
In this newly created in-house position, Wamp will provide counsel to the sheriff and his command staff on matters pertaining to investigations, daily operations, policy matters and media inquiries.
As general counsel, Wamp will work with the Hamilton County Attorney’s Office to gather information related to anticipated and pending litigation, the procurement and preservation of evidence, and to identify other items necessary for discovery and trial work.
The Hamilton County Attorney’s Office will continue to provide legal representation and counsel for the office of the sheriff in lawsuits and trial advocacy.
In hiring Wamp, Hammond’s office joins other large law enforcement agencies in Tennessee and the nation by incorporating in-house legal counsel.
“My staff and I have discussed instituting a general counsel to support our daily legal needs for some time,” Hammond explains. “With the growing number of legal requests for discovery items, the amount of inquiries from members of the media, the upcoming transition of Silverdale Detention Facility and the increase in evidentiary requests, there couldn’t be a more pressing and important time for us to incorporate the services of a general counsel.”
Wamp began her career as an assistant public defender in the Hamilton County Public Defender’s Office. For the last three years, she has served as an assistant district attorney in Bradley County.
In her roles of assistant public defender and assistant district attorney, Wamp spent most of her time as an advocate in the courtroom – working to develop both the Mental Health Court in Hamilton County and Juvenile Recovery Court in Bradley County. While prosecuting, Wamp also became certified in gang prosecution through the National Gang Crime Research Center in 2019.
Wamp has taken 10 felony cases to jury trials in the last six years.
“My role will be multifaceted and my experience in criminal law as both a defense attorney and a prosecutor will give me a perspective that will benefit the office of the sheriff and the citizens of Hamilton County,” says Wamp. “I understand how important it is to protect both the rights of criminal defendants as well as support and uphold law enforcement for the sacrifices they make every single day.”
Born and raised in Hamilton County, Wamp graduated from Chattanooga Christian School. She is a graduate of the University of Tennessee and the University of Tennessee College of Law.
Source: Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office