CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office public booking log has abruptly come to an end effective Tuesday afternoon.
A statement from Sheriff John Fuson is now displayed in place of the newly arrested inmates and their charges when the public navigates to the booking log on the MCSO website.
Fuson, who was first appointed in 2012, was reelected again in 2022. During his tenure, he said that over 100,000 people had been booked into the Montgomery County Jail and accused of a variety of misdemeanors and felonies.
The sheriff explained in his release that it is his responsibility to protect an accused person’s constitutional rights.
“The public shaming factor alone that occurs on social media outlets and at times in the press clearly highlight this legal disadvantage,” Fuson wrote. “I believe that the practice of publishing these mugshots undermines that fundamental right.”
He added that there will be situations that arise where releasing a mugshot is in the best interest of public safety.
“Friday was when I was notified that he wanted to look at this,” said Sgt. Bishop Delaney, MCSO Public Information Officer. “That discussion and thought process happened over the next few days.”
Mugshots are still part of public records under Tennessee law and are available to be released if a proper records request is submitted through the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.