Wamp Discusses First Year, Priorities as District Attorney

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp reflected on her first year in office in North Chattanooga.

She spoke about the progress of her administration at the North Chattanooga Council of the Chamber of Commerce.

In particular, she spoke of the rearrangement of priorities inside the District Attorney’s office from the previous District Attorney, Neil Pinkston.

She said that the top priority in her office is to crack down on opioids.

Hamilton County District Attorney Coty Wamp speaking with the North Chattanooga Council of the Chamber of Commerce.

District Attorney Wamp said xylazine, which is a horse tranquilizer, has become a competitor to fentanyl and can be even more dangerous since narcan is ineffective in its treatment.

She said to combat this, she is appointing an opioid prosecutor to specifically deal with drug related cases.

She said, “Gang and violent crime should not be the first thing we talk about. Shootings should not be the first thing we talk about. Robberies should not be the first thing we talk about even though we have too many of them. Opioids should be, because last year we lost 36 people to homicide. We lost close to 200 to overdose deaths.”

She said that she has hired nearly three dozen special prosecutors in various areas since starting last September.

This is up from what she said was just two at the end of former D-A Neil Pinkston’s term.