Nashville’s sheriff Daron Hall retiring after 24 years

After 24 years as Davidson County Sheriff, Daron Hall will be retiring just a few months into his historic seventh term.

Hall has spent 35 years in public service, but after Oct. 19, he will leave the public sector for an unspecified job in the private sector.

Hall’s departure comes just before an end-of-year deadline set by the legislature for every sheriff’s office in the state to sign a formal agreement with U.S. Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement. The now-mandatory 287(g) program deputizes local officers to act as ICE agents or detain people on behalf of ICE.

Nashville once had a 287(g) agreement, but Hall ended it after a pregnant woman spent several hours in labor while shackled in its jail under the program. Hall has previously said that Davidson County was exempt from the state law and had refused to sign on to the 287(g) program.

MORE: Nashville’s Sheriff Says He’s Ending ‘Rent-A-Bed’ Agreement With ICE

Hall also oversaw the construction of a new downtown jail. It’s opening became national news after the revelation that an activist disguised himself as a construction worker and planted weapons and keys throughout the facility.

Voters elected Hall to seven terms — most recently this year, when he ran unopposed. His office describes Hall, who is 62 now, as the youngest and longest-service sheriff in Nashville history. Hall wrote that part of his legacy will be creating a behavioral care center within the city jail, securing funding for an expanded campus in the southeast portion of the county and winning additional state funding through a court challenge.

“While leaving after 35 years of service is not an easy decision, I believe the sheriff’s office is well-positioned for the future with strong, capable, and experienced leadership,” Hall wrote. “I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure a smooth transition, both before and after my departure.”

The Metro Council will appoint an interim sheriff in November before the role will appear on the ballot for voters in 2027.

This is a developing story that will be updated.