Staff Biographies

 Sheriff Sonny Weatherford

Sheriff Weatherford oversees the day to day operations of all the divisions within the Sheriff's Office.Sonny has been serving Sumner County as an active member of the Sheriff's Office for 25 years.

Sonny began his career with the Portland Police Department in 1983. He made the transition to the Sumner County Sheriff's Office in August 1985. Sonny has held the following positions as he was promoted over the years:Patrol Officer,K-9 Officer,Corporal, Sergeant, andChief Deputy (since 2006, serving with Sheriff Bob Barker).

In addition to these positions, Sonny has also served as Team Leader for Sumner County S.W.A.T. for 20 years. He is a Firearms Instructor for the N.R.A. and F.B.I., and has numerous training certifications, including meth-lab investigation and chemical weapons.

Sonny has been married to Tammy Brown Weatherford for ten years, and has two sons, Dustin and Michael. He is the third generation of his family to serve in law enforcement. Sonny followed in the footsteps of his father Captain Roy Weatherford a 30 year veteran of the Sumner County Sheriff's Office who was also one of the most renown law enforcement Officers to ever serve Sumner County.

He's actively involved in animal rescues and is a member of Volunteer Equine Advocates. Sonny is also a member of Ducks Unlimited, and is a Mason.

                                     Chief Deputy Jeff Puccini

    Jeff Puccini is a graduate of Austin Peay State University. He started his law Enforcement career in 1980, as a Patrolman in Hendersonville.  In 1984, he became a Sumner County Deputy Sheriff. In 1985 Jeff was one of the first members of the Sumner County Swat team, where he remained for the next five years. In 1986 he was promoted to Corporal in the Patrol Division. In 1990, Jeff was promoted to the rank of Detective (Sergeant Grade). In 2002, under civil service, he was promoted to Lieutenant, and assigned to the Patrol Division. In 2005, he was assigned as the Training Officer over the Training Division. In November of 2010, he was promoted to Chief Deputy of the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office.

Major Carl Edison

Carl Edison graduated from high school in 1973 and then continued his education at MTSU where he acquired a degree in law enforcement.  He began his career as a police officer at Hendersonville Police Department in 1976 where he also worked as a Motorcycle/Traffic Officer, a SWAT Officer and a Police Corporal.

Carl came to work as a Patrol Deputy at the Sumner County Sheriff's Office in 1987.  In his 20 years here he has also served as a member of the SWAT Team and spent 17 years as a Detective in the Criminal Investigation Division.  Major Edison now supervises the Patrol Division, the Warrants Division, the Court Officers, Animal Control and the Auxiliary Officers.

In addition to his duties at the Sheriff's Office, Carl also volunteers at the Hendersonville Samaritan Center and serves as a Board Member to both Sumner County's Teen Court and Ashley's Place.  He is an active member of the Tennessee Sheriff's Association and a charter member of The Gallatin Optimist Club.  Major Edison is also a representative to the County Accident Review Board.

Major Don Linzy

Major Linzy supervises the Criminal Investigations Division, the Records Division and the Information Technologies. Don graduated after attending Hendersonville High School in 1977. He then enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served 4 years. After that Don enlisted in the Air National Guard and received his commission as an Officer in 1987 and worked in the Medical Service Corps as a Medical Service Administrator.

Don attended Volunteer State Community College and received an Associate of Arts Degree in Law Enforcement. He then attended Middle Tennessee State University where he obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree, majoring in Criminal Justice.

After graduating from College, Don took a position as a patrol officer with the Hendersonville Police Department in 1985. He was promoted to Detective in 1987 and remained in that position until 1993 after which time he joined the Sumner County Sheriff's Office. Don was put in charge of working narcotics and worked undercover cases with the Sheriff's office and the 18th Judical Drug Task Force.

Don was promoted to Chief of Detectives and supervisor of the Records Divisions within the Sheriff 's Office. Don also assumed the responsibility of management of the Sheriff's Office Information Systems.

Don received certification as a Crime Scene Analyst by the International Association for Identification in 1990 and is a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy in 2002. Don has attended numerous other training courses throughout his career. He was also involved in starting the Sheriff's Office in the investigation and prosecution of numerous animal cruelty cases in and around Sumner County. Major Linzy was able to do this with the assistance of many Sumner County animal rights volunteer groups such as Volunteer Equine Advocates, Sumner Humane, Hairy Moose Pet Retreat and A Place To Bark.

He has been active in many major cases and received numerous commendations from citizens and other law enforcement agencies recently receiving commendations from the Gallatin Police Department, and Federal Bureau Of Investigation. Don was also inducted into the Tennessee Veternarian's Hall of Fame for his work in animal cruelty cases.  

Don served as Chair person for the Law Enforcement Committee for Homeland Security in Middle Tennessee and is presently Vice Chair of the Urban Area Security Initiative for Middle Tennessee. Don volunteers his time for Children Are People as well as other non profit organizations in Sumner County  

Jail Administrator Sonya Troutt

Administrator Troutt supervises the Jail Division operations. 

Sonya Troutt oversees the day to day operations of the jail.  Her duties include planning, organizing and implementing Jail programs and operations of the Corrections Division.  She is directly accountable to the Chief Deputy and Sheriff for implementation of orders and directives set out by the Chief and Sheriff. 

Prior to her career with the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office, Sonya worked in the Banking industry in accounts, processing loans and finally as a Loan Officer helping individuals and businesses obtain funds from the lender. 

Sonya also worked in the Sumner County General Sessions Clerk’s Office as a Deputy Clerk where she responded to inquiries from the Law Enforcement and Legal community, as well as the general public. 

In 1995 Sonya accepted the position of Assistant Jail Administrator with the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office and was promoted to Jail Administrator in 1997.  

Sonya is a lifetime resident of Sumner County.  She graduated High School in 1977.  She is active in Church and community activities and traveled with her families gospel singing group for many years. 

Sonya has over 1400 hours of Training, with the majority of those hours being specific to Corrections. 

Sonya is a wife, mother and VERY PROUD grandmother.