Adams lone full-time officer in mountain town
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“But we don’t have problems in Pittman,” Adams said. “Mayberry had a lot more crime than Pittman Center.”
Adams, Pittman Center police chief, is the only full-time officer in the city, which has a population of about 500. While he admits that the jokes get old, he is proud of his Mayberry-style relationships with people.
Most residents have his cellphone number, and they feel comfortable calling him about anything, Adams said.
“They’re not afraid to call me at home,” Adams said. “But that’s OK ? it’s all part of the job.”
Pittman Center is a six-square-mile city east of Gatlinburg. Incorporated in 1974, it is one of four cities in Sevier County.
The town borders the Great Smoky Mountains, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed it in 2000 as one of the “Dozen Distinctive Destinations.”
Adams, who has two part-time officers and two auxiliary officers on staff, usually starts his day at about 7 a.m., when “rush hour” begins. He sits on the side of the highway to “see if he can catch a fish.”
He said his primary goal during this time is to slow people down in the 45 mph zone on the five-mile stretch of highway that runs through the city.
“To be honest, I don’t like giving speeding tickets,” Adams said. “If I’m going to take $156 out of someone’s pocket, it’s going to be for a good reason, not for going five over. And I would hope to be treated the same in another city.”
After traffic dies down, he usually goes over to his mother’s house, which is near the center of town, to have coffee with her on her porch, where he can still keep an eye on the city.
The rest of his day consists of patrolling the city, checking on residents, and “just maintaining a presence.” He said he usually drives 60 to 75 miles every day while patrolling.
“I do all kinds of things with this job ? picking up dogs, herding cattle, killing snakes and checking on residents’ houses when they’re out of town,” Adams said. “You just never know.”
Adams became chief of police in 2001, after being with the Gatlinburg Police Department for 18 years.
Adams decided to take the job because it enabled him to spend more time with his family: Debra, his wife of 19 years, who he met while on patrol; two daughters, Amber, 17, and Lexi, 15; and a son, Tucker, 10.
He said he now has time to coach basketball and lead his son’s Cub Scout troop. He is also a Baptist preacher and hiking enthusiast.