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Rhea County Sheriff's Office

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Rhea County Sheriff's Office

Our mission is to protect and serve the citizens of Rhea County, Tennessee. Sheriff: John Argo

08/31/2026

Today, we celebrate the retirement of Sheriff Mike Neal and recognize more than two decades of dedicated service to the Rhea County Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Rhea County.

Sheriff Neal began his tenure as Sheriff on September 1, 2002, and since that day, he has dedicated countless hours, made tremendous sacrifices, and worked tirelessly to move this department and county forward.

Throughout his career, Sheriff Neal has accomplished many things that have left a lasting impact on Rhea County. From a decertified jail that housed approximately 80 inmates to the construction and opening of the Rhea County Justice Center in 2021, Sheriff Neal helped lead the department through tremendous growth and change.

His commitment to the citizens of Rhea County went far beyond the walls of the Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Neal established community programs such as SCAN — Senior Citizen Awareness Network, providing resources and assistance to help protect and connect with our senior citizens.

He also formed the department’s Homeland Security Group, which has become an important resource for Rhea County, assisting with major events, emergency operations, disasters, and other critical incidents throughout the county.

These are just a few examples of the many programs, projects, and initiatives Sheriff Neal has been involved in throughout his career. There are countless other activities and accomplishments that have contributed to making Rhea County a better, safer place to live, work, and raise a family.

The department and county today are leaps and bounds ahead of where they were when Sheriff Neal first took office, and his leadership, vision, and dedication played a significant role in that progress.

As he begins this next chapter, we want to express our sincere gratitude for his dedication, sacrifices, leadership, and the countless hours he has poured into this department and the citizens of Rhea County.

Sheriff Neal, thank you for more than 20 years of service, for believing in Rhea County, and for always looking for ways to make our community better. Your impact will continue to be felt throughout this county, and your legacy will remain a part of this department for years to come.

Congratulations on your retirement, Sheriff Neal! You’ve certainly earned it!

Thank you for your service, your leadership, and your dedication to the citizens of Rhea County.

08/28/2026

🏈 RHEA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL VARSITY FOOTBALL — GAME DAY TRAFFIC PLAN

This week, the Rhea County Sheriff’s Department will be trying out a new traffic control plan to help accommodate the increased traffic flow expected in the area on Rhea County High School varsity football game days.

This traffic plan will be used for all RCHS varsity football events and is designed to help maintain a safe and efficient flow of vehicle and pedestrian traffic before and after each game.

🚗 GETTING TO THE GAME

Traffic in the area is expected to be heavy on all game days. Visitors are encouraged to plan accordingly and allow additional time when traveling to Rhea County High School.

🚧 GAME DAY TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS

The game day traffic plan will be implemented approximately 1½ hours prior to the start of each game. Normal traffic operations will resume until the end of the 3rd Quarter, at which time the post-game traffic plan will be activated.

Before the game:

Eagle Lane will remain normal two-way traffic prior to the start of the game.
Rhea County Sheriff’s Department deputies will begin traffic control at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and Eagle Lane approximately 1½ hours before kickoff.
Deputies will staff intersections in the immediate area before and after the event to assist with the safe movement of vehicles and pedestrians.
Traffic control operations will continue until approximately one hour after the game concludes, or until parking areas have emptied.

🏁 POST-GAME TRAFFIC

Following the conclusion of the game:

Traffic exiting the parking lots on Eagle Lane will be routed toward U.S. Highway 27 using two exit lanes.
At the railroad bridge, traffic will merge into the middle lane for northbound traffic and the right lane for southbound traffic.
Vehicles exiting the high school parking lot may also travel south on Back Valley Road.
The incoming lane will remain open for parents and others who need to access the high school for post-game pickup.

🚶 PEDESTRIAN PICKUP

Pedestrians walking or waiting for a ride MUST be picked up at the front entrance of Rhea County High School following the game.

Please do not attempt to pick up passengers along Eagle Lane or in other areas of the traffic flow.

🅿️ PARKING

There is absolutely NO PARKING along the shoulder of Eagle Lane.

Designated parking areas are available at:

Rhea Middle School
Rhea County High School

Anyone traveling to the area is reminded to obey all posted NO PARKING restrictions. Vehicles parked in restricted areas may be towed at the owner’s expense.

We appreciate everyone’s patience and cooperation as we try this traffic plan out this week. Our goal is to improve traffic flow while keeping students, athletes, families, spectators, pedestrians, and motorists safe.

📢 Traffic updates and any changes to the traffic plan will be posted on the Rhea County Sheriff’s Department page.

Please plan ahead, allow extra travel time, follow the directions of law enforcement officers, and drive safely!

08/12/2026

Public Alert:

Update 11:00am: The service has been restored and all phone lines appear to be working correctly.

The phone lines at the Rhea County Jail are currently experiencing an outage. The telephone service provider has been notified and is actively working to identify and resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

We apologize for any inconvenience this temporary outage may cause and appreciate your patience while repairs are completed.

Please note: Rhea County E-911 non-emergency phone lines remain fully operational and are functioning normally.

08/08/2026

Traffic Alert:

Update (7:20 P.M.): Emergency Services have left the scene and the road has re-opened. Please use caution in the area as the cable company may still be working in the roadway.

Ogden Rd. (State Route 443) in the intersection of Lloyd Rd will be closed for an extended period of time while Dayton Electric repairs down power lines and poles in the area. This post will be updated when the roadway has been completely reopened.

08/03/2026

As students across Rhea County head back to school this week, the Rhea County Sheriff’s Department reminds everyone to help make the start of the school year safe for our children.

Please remember to:
🚌 Stop for school buses when the stop arm is extended and red lights are flashing.
🚗 Slow down in school zones and obey all posted speed limits.
🚸 Watch for children crossing streets, especially during morning drop-off and afternoon dismissal.
📵 Eliminate distractions by putting your phone away while driving.
🎒 Allow extra travel time, as traffic around schools will be heavier during the first few days.

Parents are encouraged to discuss school bus safety, crosswalk safety, and stranger awareness with their children before they head back to class.

Our deputies will be conducting extra patrols around schools and school bus routes to help ensure a safe and successful start to the new school year.

Let’s all do our part to keep our students, teachers, school staff, and motorists safe. We wish everyone a safe, successful, and exciting school year!

07/18/2026

Traffic Alert:

Update 7:00pm: Shut In Gap Rd is now open.

Shut In Gap Rd just passed the entrance to the Park is currently down to one lane due to a commercial vehicle accident. Please use extreme caution in the area as first responders are working the accident scene. The entire roadway may be closed down once the tow company arrives on scene, please avoid the area if at all possible. This post will be updated with the roadway has been completely reopened.

07/08/2026

Sheriff Mike Neal, Chief Deputy John Argo and the entire Rhea County Sheriff’s Department would like to extend our deepest condolences to the Crane/Tumlin Family in the passing of Mrs. Ruth Crane.

Ruth and her husband Virgil, a World War II Veteran, have been two of Sheriff Neal’s biggest supporters since the very beginning. She devoted her incredible 100 years of life to her community and her family. She worked at FB Bank and was the bookkeeper at Rhea Central Elementary School until devoting her life to being a homemaker.

We have missed Virgil for the last 10 years and will miss seeing Ruth at all of our events. We are thankful for the time we got to spend with the Cranes. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ruth’s family.

A graveside service will be held at the Chattanooga National Cemetery on Monday, July 13th at 2:00 P.M.

06/25/2026

SCAM ALERT:

The Rhea County Sheriff’s Department has been notified of a new phone scam.

The scammer is calling citizens claiming to be a detective with the Sheriff’s Department. The caller is telling victims to do various things such as:
- to send money;
- to come in for DNA swabs;
- to be served with legal papers;
- to be served with warrants; or - to pay a monetary fees.

The Rhea County Sheriffs Department would not contact anyone in this manner for such important transactions.

Also keep in mind that phone number cloning is common and it may look as though the number is local.

If in doubt, hang up and call the Sheriff’s Department at (423) 775-7837 or Rhea County Dispatch’s non-emergency line at (423) 775-2442. We would be happy to help confirm the legitimacy of any call claiming to come from our department.

05/30/2026

Traffic Alert:

Update 2:14pm:
Both lanes of Wassom Memorial Hwy are now open and the accident has been cleared.

Previous: One lane of Wassom Memorial Hwy (Hwy 68) is currently closed down due to a motor vehicle accident in the area of Garland Ln. Please use caution while emergency crews are in the area. This post will be updated when the Highway has been fully reopened and clear.

05/15/2026

In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15th as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls, as National Police Week. Today we honor the sacrifices of the fallen nationwide, and would like to shine a special light on Rhea County Officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. They are:

Deputy Clarence Lee Ellison

Deputy Ellison was shot and killed while searching for a moonshine still near his home in Roddy, Tennessee.

End of Watch: Friday, August 17, 1923

Chief Deputy Ben Thomas Vaughn

Chief Deputy Vaughn was killed in a crash during a high speed police chase.

End of Watch: Saturday, December 22, 1956

Deputy Johnny Alford Swafford

Deputy Swafford was shot responding to a domestic disturbance call.

End of Watch: Thursday, November 13,1975

Sergeant Bruce Owens

Sergeant Owens was shot in 1982 during a jail escape. Sergeant Owens survived the initial incident, but was paralyzed from his waist down. He later died in 1994 due to complications from the gunshot wound.

End of Watch: Thursday, December 29, 1994

Thank you, gentlemen, for your service and your sacrifice. We hope to honor your memory by serving this county well.

Address

7800 Rhea County Highway
Dayton, TN
37321

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+14237757838

Website

http://rheacountytn.gov/

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