The Bradley County Sheriff's Office hasn't released any information on why a 20-year department veteran and state representative abruptly resigned Monday.
Capt. Eric Watson handed in his resignation, but the sheriff's office is waiting for him to make a statement today before commenting, said sheriff's office spokesman Bob Gault.
"We're giving him the opportunity to say what he wants," Gault said Tuesday afternoon.
Watson also is a Republican state representative for District 22, which covers Meigs and Polk counties and part of Bradley County.
While Watson didn't return calls seeking comment, a legislative spokesman said he was resigning from the sheriff's office to pursue several professional opportunities.
House Republican Caucus spokesman Brent Leatherwood declined to elaborate on those opportunities.
Steve Bebb, 10th Judicial Circuit district attorney, said he hasn't decided if his office needs to open an internal investigation into Watson, but he declined to say why.
Leatherwood said Watson's resignation had nothing to do with any kind of investigation.
Watson, who joined the sheriff's office in 1991, was promoted to captain in 2010.
He was elected as representative in 2006 and he is currently chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
Joy Lukachick is a crime reporter for the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Since 2009, she's covered breaking news, high-profile trials, stories of lost lives and of regained hope and done investigative work. Raised near the Bayou, Joy’s hometown is along the outskirts of Baton Rouge, La. She has a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from Louisiana State University. While at LSU, Joy was a staff writer for the Daily Reveille. When Joy isn't chasing down ...
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