Sheriff explains why juvenile offenders were released to parents instead of jail

HAMILTON COUNTY, Tenn. (WDEF) – Sheriff Garrett is addressing community concerns about a chase of juveniles into Georgia.

Deputies chased them across the state line on Thursday, but then the youths were released to their parents.

This was the case where a 13-year-old was driving the vehicle.

The chase started when a license plate reader hit on the vehicle in Collegedale and chased it into Catoosa County.

The Sheriff says it was a question of jurisdiction.

Here is his statement:

“In light of questions many of our citizens have expressed regarding the pursuit into Georgia on May 30th involving the four juveniles who were released to the custody of their parents, please allow me an opportunity to help clarify and explain why this course of action took place.

Law enforcement officers have the authority to pursue and apprehend suspects across state lines. However, once they are apprehended, by law they must be turned over to the jurisdiction in which they are taken into custody. That jurisdiction then makes the decision whether or not to charge them in that state.

Law enforcement officers, regardless of whether they are police officers, sheriff’s deputies, or state troopers, cannot bring a juvenile or adult back across state lines until they have been charged and extradition procedures have taken place through the appropriate judicial process and not at the scene.

The fact remains, had these juveniles been apprehended in Tennessee, they would have been arrested by my deputies and taken to the Hamilton County Juvenile Detention Center.
Rest assured our agency is filing the appropriate charges against these juveniles in order to hold them accountable for their actions.”
– Sheriff Austin Garrett