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.