William H. "Bill" Allen

By Charles L. Cotton, NRA Board of Directors

bill allen hoffmanBill Allen is Chief Inspector of the Shelby County Sheriff's Dept., the largest sheriff's department in Tennessee.  He is an NRA Benefactor member, Life Member of the Texas State Rifle Association, SASS member and National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association member. 

As a current NRA Board Member, Bill serves in several capacities including Chairman of the NRA Law Enforcement Committee, Chairman of the Pistol Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Education & Training Committee.  He is also a member of the Competition Rules & Programs Committee, Action Shooting Committee and the Sport Shooting Committee.  Bill also served on the NRA President's Task Force on the National Police Championships and Multi-Gun Competitions. 

Bill's experience in hunting and competitive shooting is not limited to serving on governing committees.  He is also an ardent shooter.  His skill at arms has earned him recognition as a recipient of the Distinguished Police Revolver award, three-time Tennessee State PPC Champion and Member of the prestigious 1480 and 1490 Clubs.  Bill also competes in Small Bore, High Power Rifle, Cowboy Action, IDPA, IPSC/USPSA and 3-Gun matches.  Oh yes, Bill also loves to hunt pretty much anything one can hunt. To say that competitive shooting and hunting are in his blood would be a gross understatement!

While shooting is a passion for Bill, he also has a serious side, a very serious side. He has served the citizens of Shelby County, Tennessee as a member of the Shelby County Sheriff’s Dept. for 41 years and counting. Starting as a deputy assigned to the jail, Bill advanced through the ranks serving in different divisions. He served in the Bomb Squad and in SWAT both as a team member, then as team leader. While in SWAT, Bill was first promoted to Sergeant, then to Lieutenant. He was then moved to the Patrol Division as Shift Commander. From there he took command of the Firearms Training Unit with the rank of Captain. Bill then moved back to the Patrol Division where he was again promoted to Inspector of the Division. From there, he was transferred to the Detective Division as Bureau Commander, then to Special Operations as commander. He transferred back to the Patrol Division as Division Commander. Bill’s latest move and promotion was to the Fugitive Division as Chief Inspector. Bill has served in virtually every capacity in the Shelby County Sheriff’s Dept. and his broad experience over four decades has put him in a unique position to promote the Second Amendment.

This experience in the real world has given Bill credibility when speaking to individuals and audiences on the importance of firearms for self-defense and defense of loved ones. For decades, he has seen the personal and family devastation inflicted on innocent victims by violent criminals. When Bill speaks of the critical need for self-defense firearms, he does so as a man who has “seen the elephant.”

Gun owners need men like Bill Allen on the NRA Board of Directors. I request that you vote for Bill and recommend your friends and family members do the same.

Respectfully,
Charles L. Cotton
NRA Board of Directors