“He makes us better each day.”
Six simple words. Powerful, well-earned words of praise. And the man who said those words is C.J. Martin, principal of Philadelphia Elementary School in Loudon County. And he knows who, what and why he speaks of “he.”
The man Martin describes is Loudon County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) Deputy Chris Goad. He’s worn many uniforms in his working life, and his current one is that of an SRO – School Resource Officer. Goad is in his third year at the school of some 540 students in grades Pre-K through 8.
Chris Goad
Goad was recently honored by VFW Post 2025 in Loudon with the prestigious Chris Jenkins Memorial Loudon County Deputy Sheriff of the Year award. The veterans annually sponsor a First Responder of the Year for every agency in Loudon County, which places Goad in an elite group of community-service heroes.
Let’s hear more from the principal about this 47-year-old native of Scott County and what he means to the school, its students and staff.
“Deputy Goad takes his job very seriously. He’s always working to help make our campus safer. He’s made a huge impact. He started his tenure saying he did not want the kids to be afraid of the uniform and wanted to be viewed as a trusted adult who can help them. This is something that he absolutely has done.
“He is very rarely at his desk, always roaming the halls, visiting classrooms, taking part in reading to our kids, amongst other things. Heck, he even helps us fix things that are broken on campus. He goes far beyond the daily duties of the SRO and we are extremely grateful for this. He makes us better each day.”
That’s about the highest praise any principal can give to an SRO.
And if you ask Goad about his SRO job and his impact at the school, he says: “A lot of my job is getting to know as many of the kids as I can. Building relationships and earning their trust are what make my days, even when I’ve had to be stern and they hold no hard feelings.”
He’s there before or by 7 a.m. and leaves around 4:30 – or when he can. Goad is there for every ball game in every sport, at the carnivals, the various fund-raising events, PTA meetings and whenever his principal needs him. “I’m always fixing things and moving things, and I really don’t sit at my desk hardly at all. I’m out at recess and around during lunch, and I love the hugs from the kids,” he says.
Deputy Chris Goad stays busy as the School Resource Officer at Philadelphia Elementary School in Loudon County.
He began his law enforcement career in 1998 as an auxiliary officer at the Winfield Police Dept. in Scott County and then graduated from the Walters State Community College Police Academy. Goad also earned an associate degree in Criminal Justice from Roane State Community College. Goad’s been around. He also worked in law enforcement in LaFollette for two years, then seven years on the Y-12 security team in Oak Ridge, and in 2009, left to work for a private security firm contractor in Iraq for a year. He returned home and joined the Scott County Sheriff’s Office for two years, and spent six months at the University of Tennessee Police Department. After leaving UT, he worked security for federal buildings and facilities in Knoxville for two years.
Then came a huge timeout from law enforcement work.
In 2016, he decided to be an actor. Goad hired an agent, and in 2017, the agent pushed him “to take it more seriously.” So, he started taking acting classes. He has since appeared on TV, in films, and various commercials, and has also worked on the production side of filming. He has 21 motion picture credits. He has been part of these TV shows and movies – “Fatal Attraction,” “Joe Kenda’s American Detective” series, “Access Control,” “Gemini Man,” “Dying to Belong” and three episodes of “Walking Dead.”
His No. 1 credit is the 2018 movie “The Mule.” He was a background actor in this Clint Eastwood movie about a retired military veteran who was a horticulturist and decided to become a drug runner for a Mexican drug cartel. Eastwood starred in and directed the film.
Although he eventually left his acting career, he still occasionally auditions for parts.
His return to law enforcement came in late 2018 when he joined the Jasper Police Dept. and worked three years as a patrolman. In the fall of 2021, he was hired as a police officer in Spring City. “That turned out to be a pretty bad job, and after six months, I resigned,” he says.
Two weeks later, in April 2023, he was hired by LCSO Sheriff Jimmy Davis and says he’s found a home. “Best place I’ve ever worked,” he says.
The VFW honor really surprised him. LCSO nominated him. “Out of all the amazing deputies we have at our department, I can say that it had to be such a difficult decision. In my entire career, I had never received an award, so to say what it truly means to me – I have no words!” he said. “Many departments do not recognize their people, so to work for one as professional as LCSO is such a blessing.”
Away from school, he enjoys spending time on the water, playing football and tailgating, fishing occasionally, and shooting on a range. And working out. He’s also building a house in Anderson County that adds to his workload.
Why would a law enforcement professional in his mid-40s want to work in a school every day?
“I had burned out being on patrol, and I wanted to try something new. I didn’t know if I’d like the SRO job or not. But it’s the best job in law enforcement for me,” he says. “I really do enjoy it. I have a whole other family now. You don’t see it at first, but a good SRO makes a big difference.”
And he added this for us: “What I do and who I do it with leaves a happy feeling in my heart that other deputies and officers don’t get to experience much. As an SRO, I get to experience it almost every day.”
Tom King has been the editor of newspapers in Texas and California and also worked in Tennessee and Georgia. If you have someone you think we should consider featuring, please email him at the link with his name or text him at 865-659-3562.
Our Town Hero is sponsored by Aubrey’s Restaurants.
