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James Curtis Cawthon began his career with the Jackson Police Department on April 24, 1989.  He resigned to accept employment with the Tennessee Highway Patrol in 1994.  He returned to the Police Department in July of 1995.  He progressed through the patrolman ranks of P-2 in 1997; P-3 in 2003, ending at P-4 in 2008 and held that rank until his retirement on June 30, 2012.

During his career, Officer Cawthon worked in the Patrol Division and the Community Crime Reduction Unit (CCRU).  He was a graduate of the Basic Police Academy and Natonal Crime Prevention Institute.  He was a member of the Accident Review Board and Accident Reconstructionist.

Officer Cawthon received a Police Life-Saving Medal on May 15, 2011 and the Police Medal of Merit in November 2012 after 18 years of meritorious service to the department.