Knox County isn’t just where I live; it’s home. I was born and raised here. I raised my kids here. Now my grandkids are growing up here, too. This community has shaped my family across generations, and I’m grateful for the people who make Knox County a place we’re proud to call home.
For 34 years, I’ve had the honor of serving Knox County, working my way through nearly every role in the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, from correctional officer to Chief of Detectives. I’ve led teams, managed major budgets, and helped take dangerous drugs, firearms, and criminals off our streets. In 2024, our Narcotics Unit was honored as Tennessee’s Narcotics Unit of the Year — a recognition of teamwork, dedication, and commitment to public safety. I’m David Amburn, and I’m proud to serve this community. I respectfully ask for your support and your vote on May 5th.
Leadership is built from the ground up, and that’s exactly how I have served Knox County. From corrections to patrol, detectives to administration, I have worked every corner of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Today, as Chief of Detectives, I lead with experience, integrity, and a deep respect for the legacy that came before me. This campaign is about honoring that foundation, investing in our deputies and staff, and continuing to serve our community with accountability, compassion, and pride.
Every parent in Knox County deserves to know that when they drop their child off at school, they’re safe. From Halls to Hardin Valley, Karns to Carter, Powell to South Knox, protecting our children starts with ensuring every school in every community has the resources needed to respond to a threat immediately. As your next Sheriff, I will continue the commitment to placing a School Resource Officer in every Knox County school, and I want to take it a step further by developing a Quick Response Team made up of highly trained deputies who can be strategically positioned throughout the county to respond to any serious threat to our schools. Whether your child attends school in Farragut, Gibbs, Fountain City, or East Knoxville, you deserve to know that trained professionals are ready to respond when seconds matter most.
Every family in Knox County deserves to feel safe in their own home and in their own neighborhood. In 2020, my family was personally impacted by a critical incident involving a criminal who was in our country illegally. My son, along with several other officers, was involved in a situation that could have been life-changing for them and for our families. Like so many parents and grandparents across Knox County, that experience reinforced just how important it is to take proactive steps to keep dangerous individuals out of our communities before they can harm the people we love. That’s why I believe the 287(g) program is an important tool in helping law enforcement work with federal partners to remove criminals who pose a threat to families here in Knox County.
Managing multimillion-dollar budgets isn’t just about numbers; it’s about making sure the resources are in place to keep Knox County families safe. From supporting patrol deputies and correctional officers to investing in training, equipment, and proactive policing, responsible leadership helps ensure that when families in our community call for help, someone trained and ready will be there. Whether you live in East Knox, North Knox, South Knox, or West Knox, every neighborhood deserves to know their Sheriff’s Office is equipped to respond when it matters most.
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