Tennessee Tech has named Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Bob Crabtree as the university’s new Chief Safety Officer.
Crabtree said his final day with the Sheriff’s office will be July 16. Crabtree said the decision to leave the agency after more than three decades was difficult but represented a unique opportunity to serve his community at Tech.
“To me, this is a dream job,” Crabtree said. “It’s an opportunity that that I’m not going to get anywhere else working for a great university with great people and you know, I’ll tell you I didn’t come to the decision lightly.”
Crabtree said the Chief Safety Officer position oversees university police, emergency management, and environmental health and safety.
Crabtree said he will have served exactly 32 and a half years with the Putnam County Sheriff’s office by the time he departs. Crabtree said he began his career in January 1994 under former Sheriff Jerry Abston.
“I’d always told the Sheriff, Eddie (Farris), that I wanted to walk out when he did, when when he retired, I was going to retire with him,” Crabtree said. “Of course, I’m obviously not holding up my end of the bargain, but but I’ll be here when he does retire, which hopefully it will be down the road whenever he decides to step down, I’ll be here when he leaves that day as a friend instead of an employee.”
Crabtree said while he is accustomed to law enforcement leadership and event planning, the environmental health and safety component represents the biggest change from his current duties.
“Although I’m closing this chapter, and opening a new one, I do want to say the partnership between the Sheriff’s office and Tennessee Tech and the Sheriff and myself will still be be what it is today,” Crabtree.
Crabtree said his approach to campus safety will be informed by his experience working under Sheriff Farris, who prioritized the safety of students and faculty in local schools. Crabtree said he will be well suited to maintain the safety of Tech’s campus in his new position.
“I’ve got to live it for the last 12 years and I’m taking that with me over there and again, they’ve already got a good team in place and I can’t wait to get started with that team and we’re we’re going to hit the ground running,” Crabtree said.
As a law enforcement officer, Crabtree said he is always preaching vigilance and situational awareness, two traits that will serve him role as the head of safety for the Golden Eagles.
