Candidates for Top Positions
2022 is an election year and so far several candidates have thrown their hat into the ring to run for Cocke County Mayor…Crystal Ottinger announcing back in May that she would not seek another term. Now we have our first candidate for Cocke County Sheriff. Cocke County chief deputy CJ Ball announced last week that he would be running for the job as Cocke County’s top law enforcement officer. Ball who is a 20 year veteran of the Cocke County Sheriff’s office has raised his way through the ranks over the years from Corrections Office to patrol officer, to Lt. detective all the was to his current post as Chief Deputy. Now CJ Ball is looking to get the department’s top post by announcing his candidacy for sheriff. Ball is a lifelong resident of Cocke County and is the son of longtime Newport Mayor Connie Ball.
Ball stated in his press conference that he has long wanted to fight drugs in Cocke County by putting together a local drug task force would concentrate its efforts solely in County County. He stated the officers of that task force would be held to a higher standard would work hard on drugs like Heroin, Meth and Opiates that are rampant in the county. Chief Deputy ball stated that if elected Sheriff he would also continue to keep the Sheriff’s Department open from 8-noon on Saturdays. The primary election for Sheriff and other elected offices in Cocke County will be held in May of 2022