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KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON
Once a month, Chattanooga’s
police chief and I meet with the
district attorney general for a
short of informal discussion of
issues relating to law enforce-
ment and prosecution in the
City of Chattanooga and Hamil-
ton County. Sometimes our dis-
cussions are centered around
specific issues like gangs and
drugs, while at other times we
might discuss the legislative ac-
tions being considered in Nash-
ville or federal legislation.
We often discuss various topics
surrounding the condition of
the criminal justice system as a
whole and what each of us
would like to see accomplished
in order to better protect the cit-
izens of Hamilton County.
At this month’s regularly sched-
uled meeting, I happened to no-
tice a framed picture on the of-
fice wall of the attorney general.
At the top of the picture was a
British Crown with the following
words written on it:
“KEEP CALM AND CARRY
ON!”
Since that day, I have thought a
great deal about those simple
yet profound words, and they
keep coming back to me. I be-
lieve that might be due to re-
calling the especially tough year
we have been through here at
HCSO. That included severe
budget constraints, loss of
friends and family, political op-
position and in my own case,
and maybe yours, some “bad
press.”
Keeping calm in times of adver-
sity is a good character trait in
leadership, because calmness
under pressure shows the abil-
ity to lead and handle adversity.
In law enforcement we always
stress that one of the first du-
ties every officer has after
Sheriff, Pages 1-2
Your Personal Finances,
Page 2
Police Technology,
Page 3
Your Good Health,
Page 4
Chaplain’s Corner,
Page 5
Explorer Post #2070,
Page 6
Commendations,
Pages 7 - 10
Corrections Communi-
qué, Page 11
Personnel Spotlight,
Pages 12 - 13
Letters, Page 14
The Roll Call History,
Pages 15 - 16
Birthdays,
Page 17
HAMILTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, TN—July 31st, 2012
Executive Editor, G. A. Bennett.
Associate Editor / Pub-lisher, John E. Waters.
Contributors: Janice Atkinson, Lenda Clark, Donald Klasing,
George Jackson and Morty Lloyd.
Continued next page
2 The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012
Nine Biblical Money Man-
agement Principles That
Will Change Your Life.
Turning Point Ministries
By Dr. David Jeremiah
The Roll Call is publishing
one of Dr. Jeremiah’s nine
principles every month.
1. From May, 2012 - The
Desire Principle:
Desire God above all
else and don’t try to
serve two masters!
Review Matthew 6:21,
24 and 1 Chronicles
29:11-12.
2. From June, 2012 - The
Discernment Princi-
ple: Learn the princi
ples of contentment
and honesty. Review
Proverbs 30:7-9.
3. For July, 2012 -The
Discussion Principle:
Listen to wise
counsel; do not act
impulsively or fool-
ishly.
Read Proverbs 19:20 and
11:14, “Listen to counsel
and accept discipline,
that you may be wise the
rest of your days.”
“Where there is no guid-
ance the people fall, But
in abundance of counse-
lors there is victory.”
Watch for Principle #4 next
month!
A truism worthy of note: Do not fear the enemy,
for they can take only your life.
Fear the unprincipled ones with personal agendas!
For they will seek to distort what is real and try to destroy your honor.
They will take liberties with your good name!
arriving on the scene is to
create an air of calmness in
what is sometimes chaotic.
Then there is the ability to
carry on. I have always ad-
mired the British for their
determination to keep their
composure in the presence of
adversity and tough times.
Leave it to our British cous-
ins to “keep a stiff upper lip,”
as they say, and carry on the
mission as usual. I believe it
has served them well. Yes, it
is a simple charge, but it is
one from which we can all
learn and benefit as well.
Let us “KEEP CALM AND
CARRY ON” no matter what
the adversity is around us.
, Sheriff
The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012 3
Forensic researchers at Flori-
da International University
have developed a ground-
breaking method that can tie
a shooter to the ammunition
used to commit a crime, giv-
ing law enforcement agencies
a new tool to solve cases.
Through research funded by
the National Institute of Jus-
tice and recently published
in the Journal of Forensic Sci-
ences, chemistry professor,
Bruce McCord, and doctoral
candidate, Jennifer Greaux,
discovered a new technique
that identifies the chemical
signature of the powder in-
side a bullet. This unique
process can potentially link a
suspect to the ammunition
fired even if the weapon is
not found.
The discovery comes at a
time when the conventional
method of analyzing gunshot
residue is in danger of be-
coming less reliable, as
weapon manufacturers re-
move lead — one of the three
principle elements analyzed
today — from their ammuni-
tion.
“Crime labs all over the
country are faced with the
reality that their only way to
analyze whether a gun was
fired by a suspect may be-
come obso-
lete,” said
McCord, a for-
mer forensic
analyst for the
FBI. “Our dis-
covery is not
only more ac-
curate, but it
can deter-
mine the
type of gun-
powder used in a crime
even if the gun is never re-
covered.”
Currently, crime labs test the
gunshot residue collected
from a suspect’s hands and
clothes for three elements,
barium, lead and antimony.
If that residue tests positive
for all three and the particles
have the correct shape, de-
tectives conclude that their
suspect either fired a weap-
on, held a weapon that had
been recently fired or was
near a weapon that was
fired.
But doubt remains — and if
a weapon is never recovered
from the scene, detectives
have no way of using the res-
idue to tie the ammunition to
a suspect. McCord and
Greaux’s discovery changes
all that.
Instead of testing for just
three elements, the scientists
focus on the smokeless pow-
der that is found inside bul-
lets to determine their chem-
ical composition. Since each
manufacturer has its own
specific “recipe” for their
smokeless powder, the pro-
cess in essence defines the
type of residue left behind.
“It’s easy to commit a crime,”
said J. Graham Rankin, a
professor of forensic science
at Marshall University and
fellow at the American Acad-
emy of Forensic Science.
“This type of research is
making it harder to get away
with it.”
Source: Florida International
University and
New Forensic Method Could Help Police Solve Crimes - June 05, 2012
Magazine
Submitted by Captain Lenda Clark
Submitted by
Donald Klasing
4 The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012
The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012 5
Those Who Perish
The story is told of an inn-
keeper from Kansas in the
1940s who helped wayward
motorists. This innkeeper
was located on a two-lane
highway in the wide-open
plains of Kansas. His motel
always kept the "vacancy"
sign lit for those who were
tired and wanted to stop for
the night. His inn was the
only one on this deserted
stretch of highway for 100
miles. It was a matter of rest-
ing there or not resting at all.
During the winter months,
the snowstorms in that area
were fierce. The cold Ca-
nadian winds would
meet with the moisture
coming over the Rockies
and produce several feet
of snow in a short
amount of time. Seeing
the bad weather coming,
the innkeeper would post
signs in the front of his
motel urging people to
stop. Many dismissed the
signs as a business owner
seeking to profit from winter
weather or perhaps an old
man over-reacting.
But, the white-out and bliz-
zard conditions were more
than they bargained for.
Those who ignored the signs
were later found out of gas
and frozen to death many
miles away in their automo-
biles.
The kingdom of God is like
this story. God offers every-
one a place to rest. He says,
"Come to me you who are
weak and heavy laden and
I will give you rest."
God sees the storms of life
coming. He knows their dev-
astating effects and how fatal
they can be.
He too knows we will run out
of gas and perish. He puts
out warning signs. He sent
his Son to show us the way
to safety. He even sends out
his disciples to warn people
and give them a roadmap to
safety (the Bible), but most
ignore Him. "The Lord is
not slow in keeping his
promise, as some under-
stand slowness. He is pa-
tient with you, not want-
ing anyone to perish, but
everyone to come to repent-
ance." 2 Peter 3:9
God Bless!
Chaplain Morty Lloyd
6 The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012
July 7th, 2012
The Sheriff’s Office Explorer
Post #2070 is pleased to an-
nounce the promotion of two
explorers to explorer supervi-
sors. These explorers, who
were chosen by the advisory
staff, will serve as direct line
supervisors to the other post
members.
Explorer Brian Smith, who
previously served as the
post’s sergeant, was promot-
ed to Explorer Lieutenant.
Brian is a 2012 graduate of
Lookout Valley High School.
Brian has served the Explor-
er Post with distinction for
four years. On June 22,
2010, Brian was awarded a
Challenge Coin by Sheriff
Hammond for his efforts to
establish a neighborhood
watch program in his own
neighborhood.
Explorer Ben Harvey was se-
lected as the Explorer Post
Sergeant. Ben is currently a
student at Sequoyah High
School. Ben has served the
Explorer Post with distinc-
tion for three years. In Feb-
ruary of this year, Ben par-
ticipated in the Tactical
Physical Fitness challenge at
the Winterfest Explorer com-
petition in Gatlinburg. There
were over 70 other Explorers
who participated in this diffi-
cult and challenging compe-
tition, and he received a third
place trophy.
The supervisory program is
based on the rank and com-
mand structure in place here
at the Sheriff’s Office. The
promotion was presented at
the Explorer Meeting on July
6, 2011.
The Advisory staff of the Ex-
plorer post recognizes the
leadership qualities of these
fine young men, and wishes
to congratulate them for their
hard work and dedication to
the Explorer Post and to the
Sheriff’s Office.
Eddie Sledge
Explorer Post Advisor
Brian Smith receiving his lieuten-ant's bars from Malik Moughrabi,
Explorer Captain
Ben Harvey receiving his sergeant's stripes from his father,
Sergeant Chris Harvey
Promotions - HCSO Explorer Post #2070
Explorer Sergeant Ben Harvey, Explorer Lieutenant Brian Smith
QUESTION: Where was the first Hamil-
ton County, TN, courthouse located?
Hint - It not only served as the first court-
house and the county seat. It also served
as a way station for the Trail of Tears and
as a hospital during the Civil War.
Answer on last page
Recreation of first courthouse
being constructed
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Of-
fice Presents this Certificate
of Commendation To Charles
H. Albright, P.E., Mesa Associ-
ates, Inc.
This award is given for your
strong support of the sheriff’s
office, especially during our
2012 Police Week. Your allow-
ing us to set up and use our blue laser light
on your building has added a new dimension
to the events surrounding Police Week in
Hamilton County.
Your support for our agency will be long re-
membered for making it possible to add the
“Thin Blue Line” to our Law Enforcement Me-
morial ceremony honoring those have paid the
ultimate price keeping our community safe.
Presented June 26, 2012
The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012 7
8 The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012
Pictured right are Captain John
Swope and the Sheriff along with
Sergeant Robert Harvey.
On April 7, 2012, Sergeant Harvey
was instrumental in saving the life of
inmate Adam Tomlinson. Inmate
Tomlinson had apparently overdosed
prior to coming to jail and was going into pul-
monary arrest in the holding cell. Sergeant
Harvey took immediate action, administering
a sternum rub and assessing vitals. Harvey
assisted medical personnel upon their arrival
and they were able to improve the inmates vi-
tals marginally by the time EMS arrived. In-
mate Tomlinson was then transported to Er-
langer Hospital for more advanced treatment
and then returned to the jail.
The quick action and leadership of Sergeant
Harvey in his duty performance resulted in
the vital assistance in the saving of inmate
Tomlinson’s life.
Sergeant Harvey exemplifies the role of a dedi-
cated public servant and is in keeping with
the highest standards of the Hamilton County
Sheriff’s Office. Accordingly, this Certificate of
Commendation and Sheriff’s Challenge Coin
are awarded to Sergeant Robert Harvey.
Presented July 10, 2012
Pictured are Captain
Bill Johnson with De-
tective Clift, Detective
Cox and the Sheriff.
On February 8, 2012,
Detective James Clift
along with Kenneth Cox
and James Siler of the
Hamilton County Fugi-
tive Division arrested
escapee Darrious
Brown.
Continued next page
“Lord, when I am wrong, make me willing to change. When
I am right, make me easy to live with. Strengthen me so that
the power of my example will far exceed the authority of my rank.”
~ Pauline H. Peters
Darrious Brown walked off from a work detail
at Standifer Place Nursing Home on February
5, 2012. The diligent efforts displayed by De-
tectives Clift, Cox and Siler led them to
Brown’s sister’s house at 1705 South Haw-
thorne Avenue, where they found Brown hid-
ing in the attic.
When detectives attempted to apprehend
Brown, he was jumping out a second story
window to elude capture. Brown received in-
juries as a result of the fall and was taken in-
to custody by detectives.
Detectives Clift and Cox exemplify the role of
dedicated public servants and are in keeping
with the highest standards of the Hamilton
County Sheriff’s Office. Accordingly, these
Certificates of Commendation and Sheriff’s
Challenge Coins are awarded to Detectives
James Clift and Kenneth Cox.
Presented July 10, 2012
Pictured right are Ser-
geant Ragan McDevitt,
Corporal Larry Posey
and the Sheriff.
On April 14, 2012, Dep-
uty Posey was working
the RIID grant. Dispatch
advised him that the
Tennessee Highway Pa-
trol was in pursuit of a
vehicle and the driver of
the vehicle was a murder
suspect from Fort Camp-
bell, Tennessee. Deputy
Posey joined the pur-
suit. After crossing into Georgia, a Georgia
State Patrol Officer joined the pursuit.
When the GSP officer joined the pursuit, the
THP Officer dropped out of it. Deputy Posey
continued so the GSP Officer would have back
-up. After a pursuit that lasted approximately
46 minutes, the GSP Officer “pitted” the vehi-
cle causing it to crash. The suspect then shot
himself in the head.
Deputy Posey exemplifies the role of a dedicat-
ed public servant and is in keeping with the
highest standards of the Hamilton County
Sheriff’s Office. Accordingly, this Certificate of
Commendation and Sheriff’s Challenge Coin
are awarded to Deputy Posey.
Presented July 10, 2012
The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012 9
Pictured are Captain John
Swope, Mrs. Tamra Bowman,
Deputy Charles Bowman and
the Sheriff.
On March 20, 2012, Deputy
Bowman was conducting a
head count at the beginning of
the shift when he noticed in-
mate Edward Moore was at-
tempting to hang himself with
a blanket in his cell. Deputy
Bowman went into the cell and
held the subject up while
nurse Patty untied the blanket that inmate
Moore had around his neck. The quick action
and awareness of Deputy Bowman in his duty
performance resulted in assisting in the sav-
ing of inmate Moore’s life. Deputy Bowman’s
training in life saving techniques is commend-
able.
Deputy Bowman exemplifies the role of a ded-
icated public servant and is in keeping with
the highest standards of the Hamilton County
Sheriff’s Office. Accordingly, this Certificate
of Commendation and Sheriff’s Challenge
Coin are awarded to Deputy Bowman.
Presented July 10, 2012
Shown right are Captain
John Swope, Deputy
Marquez Brown and the
Sheriff.
On March 20, 2012, Depu-
ty Brown was conducting a
head count at the begin-
ning of the shift when he
noticed inmate Edward
Moore was attempting to
hang himself with a blan-
ket in his cell. Deputy
Brown held the cell door
open and directed staff to the incident site.
The quick action and awareness of Deputy
Brown in his duty performance resulted in
assisting in the saving of inmate Moore’s
life. Deputy Brown’s training in life saving
techniques is commendable.
Deputy Brown exemplifies the role of a dedi-
cated public servant and is in keeping with
the highest standards of the Hamilton County
Sheriff’s Office. Accordingly, this Certificate
of Commendation and Sheriff’s Challenge
Coin are awarded to Deputy Brown.
Presented July 10, 2012
10 The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012
Corrections Graduation
Director G.A. Bennett, Sheriff
Jim Hammond, Chief Allen
Branum, Corrections Officer
Terry Jefferies and Chief Ron
Parson stand with the cor-
rections recent graduates.
Above are: Officers Jamie
Braden, Ronald Day, Amber
Geer, Martin Perry, Benjamin
Robbs and Andrew Voss.
Officer Martin Perry received
an award for the highest aca-
demic score and Officer An-
drew Voss received an award
for being selected by his
peers as the class president.
All officers with the exception
of Ronald Day joined the 2nd
shift; Robbs joined the offic-
ers of the 3rd shift.
Since joining their shifts, the
officers have been in cross
training and learning basic
operations for their respec-
tive shifts. Several of the of-
ficers have previous histories
with the HCSO. Andrew Voss
served alongside the HCSO
SWAT as their designated
EMT. Robert Day served as
an HCSO Reserved Officer.
The class graduation was
held on June 28, 2012.
The HCSO Corrections Divi-
sion is glad to welcome the
newest corrections graduates
shown here.
The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012 11
Continued next page
Sheriff’s Office Spotlights Versatility
Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office De-
tective Roger Brown has recently com-
pleted a ten-week training program
held at the University of Tennessee
National Forensic Academy. This pro-
gram is funded by the Bureau of Jus-
tice Assistance and designed to meet
the needs of law enforcement agencies
in evidence identification, collection
and preservation.
The goal of this training is to prepare
the crime scene investigator to recog-
nize key elements and to improve the
process of evidence recovery and sub-
mission.
The training consists of 400 hours of training
that involves 170 hours of in-class work and
230 hours of field practicum.
During the course students are responsible
for several educational objectives that in-
clude, quizzes, test, case files, research pa-
pers and various other hands-on experiences.
Congratulations Detective Roger Brown for a
job well done.
By Janice Atkinson
Ginger Merritt is the supervisor in criminal
records for the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Of-
fice. Since she has been in this position, Gin-
ger has assisted in the start up and training
for the paperless reports and the use of the
Mobile Data Computers as well as the start
up and training of Electronic Arrest Reports.
She also serves as the NCIC/TIES (Terminal
Agency Coordinator) for the sheriff’s office
and the NIBRS/TIBRS (Reporting Agency Co-
ordinator). This means that Ginger is instru-
mental in all training for new deputies and
civilian employees and re-certification of both
when
needed.
Ginger is
married
to Ed
Merritt
who is
assigned
to the
Criminal
Investiga-
tion Division of the Sheriff’s Office. They have
12 The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012
Pictured are Detec-tive Roger Brown and his son, Blake.
The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012 13
John Julian - John joined HCSO in 1993
and has worked 3rd shift from the beginning.
With seventeen years of service, John is re-
garded as the HCSO’s senior corrections of-
ficer regardless of the shift he works. His ten-
ure allowed him to work with HCSO legendary
lieutenants including Flip Wilson and Harold
Lasley.
John’s parents were educators, his father
serving as a local principal. Both parents are
deceased with John’s mother recently pass-
ing. He attends mosque and spends his spare
time reading books on philosophy, religion
and history.
He is a gun enthusiast and enjoys frequent
trips to the gun range. He has made several
visits to various regions in Africa.
Leonard Holbrook - Leonard Holbrook start-
ed his second career in the Civil Process Divi-
sion of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office in
2001.
He brought a wealth of experience to the job,
after serving thirty-three years in law enforce-
ment before his retirement at the Chattanoo-
ga Police Department.
He is married to his wife, Carolyn, and they
have five children, Sherrie, age 46, Brenda,
44, Paul, 41, Michael, 38 and Christie, age 29
along with five grandchildren. In his down
time, Leonard enjoys woodworking and gar-
dening, but he really just enjoys spending time with his family and his friends.
two daughters, whom she says are totally
spoiled.
In her spare time she enjoys riding her horse,
Chewie, but she also is involved in the rescue
of abused or abandoned animals. Oh yes,
Ginger makes time for Zumba classes and is
now an instructor.
By Janice Atkinson
“Life is like a dogsled team. If you ain't the lead dog,
the scenery never changes.” ~ Lewis Grizzard
14 The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012
DEAR SHERIFF HAMMOND,
Director Bennett,
I would like to take a moment to express my sincere appreciation for your assistance in
meeting my educational goals. The personnel I met today were subject matter experts
and provided me information that will be beneficial in my dissertation. Please pass
along my appreciation and thanks for their willingness to take valuable time out of
their schedule to assist me. It was a pleasure meeting you and your staff. Thank you
and your organization for the service provided to the State of Tennessee and the City of
Chattanooga!
Leon Kilgore, (Retired military officer who is working on his Ph.D. and who spent a
day doing interviews with HCSO personnel through our Internship Program.)
From the phone lines - “A citizen called to make sure the sheriff and Shannon
Wilson’s supervisor knew how helpful she had been at a recent Neighborhood Watch
meeting. He was impressed that even though he lived in the City of Chattanooga,
she was willing to assist him in any way possible.”
Returning home from work,
a blonde was shocked to
find her house ransacked
and burglarized. She tele-
phoned the police at
once and reported the
crime. The police dis-
patcher broadcast the call
on the radio and a K-9 unit
patrolling nearby was
the first to respond.
As the K-9 officer ap-
proached the house with
his dog on a leash, the
blonde ran out on
the porch, shuddered at
the sight of the cop and his
dog, then sat down on the
steps. Putting her face in
her hands, she moaned, “I
come home to find all my
possessions stolen. I call the
police for help, and what do
they do? They send me a
BLIND policeman!”
The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012 15
The year was early1982 and
the first HCSO newsletter
rolled off the press. Well, ac-
tually it was an IBM Selectric
II Typewriter with a corrector
ribbon. Nonetheless, Gino
Bennett and Charlene Wiley
dutifully carried out the pro-
cess of keeping employees
informed on legal updates,
inter-departmental an-
nouncements, employees’
birthday and anniversary
dates.
When time allowed, Ms.
Wiley would include employ-
ee spotlights and one could
always find words of encour-
agement from the Chaplain’s
Corner along with greetings
from the front office.
The Roll Call consisted of 2
legal sheets of paper with
print on both sides. HCSO
copy machines did not print
in color nor were they
equipped to print front to
back. Therefore, pages one
and three were copied; the
paper was then manually
placed back in the copy ma-
chine to print pages two and
four on reverse. (HCSO had
no mobile data systems or
employee email back in those
days.)
For a little Christmas in July,
let’s take a glance back at
the first of three pages of the
December 24, 1986, issue of
The Roll Call as shown on
page 16 in this issue.
Technological advancements
and a dedicated editorial
staff diligently strive to im-
prove the employee newslet-
ter that was conceived thirty
years ago. Enjoy the histori-
cal read on the next page.
Meanwhile, be safe and stay
informed.
Captain Lenda Clark
A Glance Back at The Roll Call
16 The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012
The Roll Call, July 31st, 2012 17
1 Daniel, Blake K.
2 Triplett, Robert Lynn
3 Godina, Lilia Lucia
3 Sanders, Jefferson Harlen
4 Ashburn, Joseph Brian
6 Fain, Jerry Edward
8 Evans, Ronald E.
8 Hooper, Mark N.
8 Lasley, Harold L.
8 Whittle, Patricia G.
9 Bowman, Gregory Wade
9 Clarkson, Isaac Lewis
9 Lee, Rodney Dale
10 Willhoit, Clyde L. II
10 Wilson, Douglas Leon
11 Hardy, Stanley H.
12 McDowell, Teresa D.
14 Hamrick, James Richard
15 Jones, Ricky A.
16 Carson, Greggory Thomas
16 Poteet, Jeremy Scott
17 Bowen, James Clifford
17 Johnson, Garry
17 Rush, Robert Ray
17 Wyatt, Austin
18 Drew, Elizabeth Ann
18 Forgey, Shane Thomas
20 Wright, Anna Louise
21 Eustice, Thomas Arthur
23 Mann, Timothy Jerome
23 Wildes, Jimmy Dean
26 McGhee, Angelita Etrice
26 Robbs, John Stanley
27 Harvey, Robert Dale
27 Walker, Jonathan Timothy
29 Bledsoe, Wilson Lamont
29 Lowery, Charles Oliver III
30 Burnette, Kellie Dawn
30 Watts, Kimberly Robin
31 Hogan, Matthew Hart
August, 2012
QUESTION: Where was the first Ham-
ilton County, TN Courthouse located?
Hint - It not only served as the first
courthouse and the county seat. It also
served as a way station for the Trail of
Tears and as a hospital during the Civil
War.
ANSWER: In former Hamilton County
Judge Lewis Shepherd's Personal Mem-
oirs, he records a description of the
county’s courthouses. He describes the
first as Poe’s Tavern. A large, two-story log
house, situated at the foot of Walden’s
Ridge, Poe’s Tavern was designated as the
court of “common pleas and special ses-
sions” in 1819. The courts were held at
the Poe home for several years and were
then moved to the home of John Mitchell.