We welcome the Campaign of David Amburn, candidate for Knox County Sheriff in the Republican Primary May 5, 2026, Early Voting April 15-30. Photo of Amburn below is from the live stream of the four Knox Sheriff candidates at the Thursday January 8 Knox County Republican Women meeting.
Who is David Amburn?
David Amburn has proudly served the Knox County Sheriff’s Office for 34 years. He began his career as a correctional officer and advanced through the ranks, serving as a patrol officer, detective, narcotics detective, federal task force officer, Director of Homeland Security, and the Sheriff’s Office’s first Fleet Manager.
David currently serves as an Assistant Chief Deputy, overseeing the Detective Division and Fleet Program. In this role, Chief Amburn manages a multi-million dollar portion of the Sheriff’s Office budget. David has led the Narcotics Unit for many years, which has been highly effective—removing 67 pounds of fentanyl and 259 firearms from the streets in the last two years alone. Under his leadership, the unit was awarded the Tennessee Narcotics Officer Association’s 2024 Narcotics Team of the Year.
Looking ahead, David Amburn is committed to building upon the strong foundation established by Sheriff Spangler while continuing to grow and strengthen the Sheriff’s Office. As Knox County experiences rapid growth, calls for service continue to rise, increasing the need for more deputies on the street. David will advocate for increased staffing levels to ensure faster response times and improved public safety.
He also plans to restore proactive policing units, including the Criminal Interdiction Unit. With Knox County positioned between two major interstates, it serves as a major drug-trafficking corridor. Reinstating these specialized units will help disrupt the flow of dangerous drugs into our community.
Advancing the agency means investing in our people, improving deployment strategies, and making decisions that enhance both officer wellness and public safety. One division David will prioritize is the SWAT Team. Knox County’s SWAT operators respond to some of the most dangerous calls in law enforcement, yet currently balance full-time assignments in addition to SWAT responsibilities. Chief Amburn will continue to allocate funding for upgraded equipment to increase survivability and will encourage participation in national competitions to strengthen operational capabilities while showcasing the professionalism of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office.
Looking to the future, David also supports the creation of a full-time SWAT team to assist with high-risk warrant service and critical incidents.
David brings the most diverse operational background within the agency and is uniquely prepared to lead an organization as complex as the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Serving as Sheriff is much like serving as a CEO—it requires solving complex challenges while empowering personnel to succeed. This is the leadership mindset David will bring as he steps forward to serve Knox County.
