Chattanooga, TN – According to the statement, CFD Chief Hyman and CPD Chief Chambers presented information to council members about the significance of this change.
Under the current city charter, Chattanooga police officers and firefighters can legally live in distant cities like Knoxville, Nashville, or even Memphis and commute hours to work.
However, they are prohibited from living in nearby areas such as Rossville, Georgia, just minutes away. With both departments facing challenges in recruitment and retention, this restriction limits the applicant pool.
The proposed referendum would allow police officers and firefighters to be hired from adjoining states, provided they meet all other requirements.
This change aims to increase the number of qualified candidates and strengthen public safety by allowing Chattanooga to hire the best applicants, regardless of where they live. Chiefs Hyman and Chambers emphasized that this would prevent applicants from being forced to uproot their families to work for the city.
In 2024, Tennessee’s general assembly passed legislation enabling cities to hire employees from anywhere, regardless of local laws. For Chattanooga to adopt this change, the city charter must be amended.
The proposed change must be voted on by the City Council and passed through a ballot referendum in March. To make it onto the March ballot, the referendum must be submitted to the election commission by December 19.
This move has gained strong support from city leaders and the community, as it seeks to ensure that the CFD and CPD can continue to recruit the best possible candidates for these essential public safety roles.