The Warren County community mourns the loss of a law enforcement legacy with the passing of Tommy Myers.

“The Warren County Sheriff’s Office is deeply saddened to announce the passing of former Sheriff Tommy Myers, who served our community with honor, integrity and dedication for over 30 years,” the WCSO announced on its Facebook page Monday. “Sheriff Myers will be remembered for his strong ties to the community, his mentorship of deputies, the positive impact made throughout his career, and for his genuine smile.”

Myers, 63, passed away on Sunday and leaves behind a decorated career in law enforcement which will be remembered for many years to come. According to long-time friend and coworker Bryan Denton, his presence and accomplishments will be an example for officers and the community for decades.

“Tommy and I actually went to high school and graduated together. We were friends all through high school and after,” Denton said. “I was in law enforcement a couple years before him, but we basically came up through the ranks at the same time. He was with the Sheriff’s Department and I was with McMinnville Police Department, but we were professional friends.”

In 1991, Myers started his career as a jailer for Warren County Sheriff’s Department and ascended the ladder to serve as a Chief Deputy for nine years. For the final four years before retirement in 2022, he was Warren County Sheriff after winning a close election against Marc Martin in 2018.

Denton described Myers as being family-oriented and committed to the community, stating he did everything he could to pursue solutions rather than maintaining convention. According to him, the two of them organized and collaborated on multi-departmental projects over their years in the field.

“It didn’t take long for Tommy to become a detective, and he was a very good detective. He picked up on things really quick and he was intelligent, he always knew the right questions to ask and that’s a big thing,” Denton said of Myers. “We both learned very early on that personal relationships and communication are key to good law enforcement and we always tried to practice that. We didn’t always agree on everything, but we could always meet in the middle somewhere no matter what the issues were.”

Denton went on, “I always tell my wife that, when somebody passes, that all you hear is they were a good person, but it was true with Tommy. He was down the middle and the cases he worked were solid ones.”

During COVID, for example, when shutdowns persisted and masks were required by executive order, Denton recalled he and Myers navigated unforeseen channels together by learning on their feet and adapting to the situation in a way that worked for McMinnville and Warren County.

“We brainstormed and got with our staff and worked together to figure everything out,” Denton said. “Things that worked for Murfreesboro or Nashville didn’t work here and Tommy recognized that. He always strived to do what was best for our community, not just accepting some blanket solution that’s been handed down to us.”

During his time as sheriff, Myers used his office to advocate for inmates in a meaningful way to interrupt the cycle of incarceration.

“He was very much about rehabilitation as opposed to punishment. Tommy worked with the judicial system and was involved in drug court, which he heavily supported,” Denton said. “There used to be a lot of pushback to that because people just didn’t understand it, but Tommy didn’t care to try something new.”

When he wasn’t keeping the community safer, Myers loved being outdoors and spending time with his family. He was a motorcycle enthusiast and, for years, he was a professional motocross driver.

“Tommy was a talented and authentically good person from a humble family, very down-to-earth. He wasn’t given anything — he worked hard to earn everything he got. He really cared about this community and wanted to create change,” Denton said. “He’s leaving a legacy that will be something the upcoming crew of officers will have to strive towards. Tommy was a good friend and he was great to work with. I’m really going to miss him.”

Full arrangements for Myers’ funeral service and his obituary can be found on page 3A. The Southern Standard extends its sympathies to Myers’ family and loved ones.