Tom Spangler is a graduate of Carter High School and Tusculum College. Sheriff Spangler served our country in the United States Air Force, he was honorably discharged in 1980 and began the start of his law enforcement career with the Knox County Sheriff's Office as a Corrections Officer. Sheriff Spangler also served as a Patrolman, Patrol Supervisor, as a Metro Narcotics Detective and was instrumental in getting the Regional Training Academy as well as Knox County Sheriff's Office Aviation Unit started. Sheriff Spangler is also a helicopter pilot and has flown missions to include Hurricane Katrina Disaster Relief. He served under two different Sheriff's as Chief Deputy before retiring from Knox County in 2009 to pursue a dream of professional fishing. After a short time he was asked to serve as the Assistant Chief of Training for the Blount County Sheriff's Office, he was at BCSO until December 2016 when he resigned to run for Sheriff of Knox County. He was elected in August 2018 and took office September 1, 2018. Sheriff Spangler is on the board for the Tennessee Corrections Institute (TCI) and Police Officer Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.).
Tom Spangler is an active member of Clear Springs Baptist Church in Corryton, he is married to his wife Linda and has two daughters Mellony & Mallory and five granddaughters!