Law Enforcement - Historical Notes

Those acts once affecting Bradley County, which related to the militia and to other law enforcement agencies other than the sheriff, are mentioned below in chronological order.

1. Acts of 1835-36, Chapter 21, was the first state militia law and military code which affected Bradley County.  This Act was enacted at a time when the state government was being organized pursuant to the 1835 Constitution.  This Act covered in detail all phases of organization, supply logistics, military discipline, and all other facets of this particular service.  Bradley County, newly formed, was not assigned a regiment under this law but was placed in the 6th Bridage with the units of Roane County, Monroe County, and McMinn County.
2. Acts of 1837-38, Chapter 157, scheduled the dates for the annual county muster and drills for all the units of the State Militia.  However, Bradley County was not listed, probably because no effective unit had been organized at the time.
3. Acts of 1839-40, Chapter 56, was the next revision of the military laws of Tennessee necessitated by the growing forces of militia as more counties were created.  Bradley County's units comprised the 144th and the 148th Regiments in the 6th Brigade which included also the units in the counties of Roane, Monroe, McMinn and Polk.