The City of Chattanooga & The Swearing-In of Chief John Chambers
A high-stakes leadership transition becomes a moment of civic restoration.
The situation
In October 2024, following a turbulent period of public scrutiny and administrative turnover at the Chattanooga Police Department (CPD), Mayor Tim Kelly selected John Chambers to be the city’s next Chief of Police. His appointment and unanimous confirmation by the Chattanooga City Council marked a turning point: an opportunity to rebuild trust in law enforcement among the department and the public, underscore the Kelly administration's values of transparency and accountability, and initiate a new chapter of public safety leadership.
The swearing-in ceremony that would begin Chief Chambers’ term needed to be more than a formality. CPD and the Mayor’s office turned to Coeo Strategies to make sure this event would be an expertly-produced and powerful communications opportunity.
The solution
Coeo managed every facet of the event, held October 11, 2024, at Chattanooga’s Walker Theatre. Within a compressed planning period, our scope of work included:
Strategic event management, leading all planning efforts and aligning stakeholders to ensure clarity of roles, timely execution, and shared ownership of the event’s tone and impact.
Ceremony design, crafting a detailed run-of-show that balanced personal acknowledgments with institutional and community significance - down to moving touches like the five-star collar pinning by family members and the tribute to Chambers’ late father.
Message development, including event framing language and talking points that reflected Chief Chambers’ values of leadership and service.
Logistics and day-of coordination, overseeing all operational logistics, including vendor management, venue setup, speaker readiness, and on-site execution to ensure a seamless, high-quality experience.
Faith leader engagement, organizing a private gathering with local clergy to offer support and reflection ahead of the public ceremony, helping establish the day’s tone of unity, trust, and renewal.
The impact
The event succeeded as a powerful and celebratory reset for the Chattanooga Police Department and the entire community. The Times Free Press spotlighted Chambers’ focus on trauma-informed policing, officer wellness, and root-cause strategies for violence reduction. Local 3 News emphasized the significance of his community-first philosophy.
In his own social media posts, Mayor Tim Kelly underscored the broader significance of the day, highlighting the many local faith leaders who offered support and prayers for the future of Chattanooga and emphasizing their role in reducing violence.
The public event did an expert job of introducing Chief Chambers to the community while highlighting the administration’s values. The emotional weight of the ceremony - underscored by a standing ovation, a family-led uniform presentation, and remarks from multiple generations of CPD leadership - powerfully communicated that a new chapter for the Chattanooga Police Department had now begun.
