Sheriff Austin Garrett is pleased to announce a major investment in the HCSO’s Marine-based operations with the official unveiling of our newest patrol vessel, Marine One.
The new vessel, a 28-foot Munson Boats catamaran, represents a major investment in our agency’s public safety and marine-based operations. Funded through a $262,500 Federal Port Security Grant with the support of Congressman Chuck Fleischmann, along with a 25 percent match of $87,500 from Hamilton County, the completed cost of the new boat was $350,000. This modern patrol craft replaces our agency’s aging Marine One, purchased two decades ago. With rising maintenance costs on the older vessel, the upgrade comes at a critical time for operational readiness and cost-efficiency.
In addition to the purchase of Marine One, a 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 pickup truck was purchased for $60,000 utilizing funds from the Sheriff’s Office’s Capital Outlay for necessary land transport.
With jurisdiction covering over 542 square miles, including 33 miles of waterways in Hamilton County, the HCSO, in partnership with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), serves as one of two responding law enforcement agencies responsible for a variety of waterborne emergencies and incidents on our county’s waterways. This includes the HCSO’s responsibility of investigating drownings in Hamilton County waterways.
“For 20 years, our former Marine One has served Hamilton County well, helping protect our waterways and ensure public safety,” said Sheriff Garrett. “Our new Marine One is a major upgrade to our operational capabilities and reaffirms my commitment as your sheriff to professionalism, preparedness, and innovation. I’m especially grateful to Congressman Chuck Fleischmann for supporting our efforts to obtain federal grant funding that made this possible and to the County Commission and Hamilton County Mayor’s Office for supporting the required local match funding necessary to make this investment possible,”
Engineered to enhance the Sheriff’s Office’s capabilities on the water, the new Marine One is equipped to handle a wide range of missions including search and rescue operations, boating based law enforcement, accident response, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, & Nuclear Events (CBRNE) Response, and Sheriff’s Underwater Recover Team (SURT) operations.
In addition to law enforcement-based operations, each year, the HCSO Marine Patrol Team provides crucial public safety support for major community events such as Head of the Hooch, IRONMAN, and many others.
“The men and women of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office are amongst the best and bravest members of our community who put their lives on the line every day to protect and serve Hamilton County residents,” said Congressman Chuck Fleischmann. “As East Tennessee’s Congressman, I am always proud to do my part to ensure that our outstanding law enforcement has every tool and resource necessary to successfully carry out their mission to uphold the law. I thank Sheriff Austin Garrett for his partnership that made these major new investments in HCSO’s operations possible.”
