Jeff Hughes

Walker announces in-house police promotion
Updated 10 p.m. Tuesday
By SUSAN LEATHERS
Brentwood Home Page
In less than 24 hours, the City of Brentwood learned its police chief was retiring and who would take his place. On Monday night, Ricky Watson, 56, shared his plans to retire in January after almost 12 years at the helm of the department. On Tuesday morning, City Manager Mike Walker announced that Assistant Police Chief Jeff Hughes would become chief effective Monday, Jan. 30, 2012.

Police Chief Ricky Watson, center, and Assistant Chief Jeff Hughes, right, celebrate their department's victory over the Brentwood Fire & Rescue Department in softball over the Labor Day weekend. A gracious fire chief, Brian Goss, offers congratulations.

“As most of you know, the city places a high priority on succession planning to ensure that the important services of the city will continue effectively with a change in leadership. I am confident Jeff Hughes is able and ready to assume the duties of Police Chief and that he will provide effective leadership to insure continuous improvement in service delivery in the years ahead,” Walker stated in an email sent to senior staff and elected officials.

On July 1, Asst. Fire Chief Brian Goss was promoted to chief following the retirement of longtime chief, Kenny Lane.

City Commission Rhea Little III was among those offering congratulations to Hughes upon the announcement. “(I’m) looking forward to working with Chief Hughes in the years to come. I am sure he will carry on the tradition of excellence that is identified with the Brentwood Police Department,” he said.

Hughes began his career with the Brentwood Police Department on Feb. 1, 1986 and celebrated his 25-year anniversary with the city earlier this year. He started his law enforcement career with the Fairview Police Department in 1983.

Hughes has extensive experience in all functions of the department including assignments as patrol officer, sergeant in the Criminal Investigations Division, and supervision over Technical Support Services (police records, emergency communications, training, community relations, and property/evidence control). He was promoted to his current assignment as the assistant chief of police in January 2010 where he oversees all police operations and serves as the acting chief of police in the chief’s absence.

Hughes earned his BS degree in Criminal Justice from Middle Tennessee State University in August 2010, while working full-time in the police department. He is also a graduate of the Southeastern Command and Leadership Academy at the University of Tennessee (Chattanooga).

 He is a native of Fairview, where he continues to reside.

The Brentwood Police Department received National Accreditation from The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies Inc. in 1989, and was the first agency in the State of Tennessee to be reaccredited. The Department proudly maintains its nationally recognized accredited status, having been reaccredited five times, most recently in 2008.

It currently has 58 sworn officers.

In September, members of the accreditation team returned to Brentwood as part of the process to reaccredit the department. The Brentwood Police Department is the most tenured accredited agency in the state of Tennessee.

Related story: Watson announces his plans to retire