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The Community Relations / Public Information Officer of the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office provides public information to local, state, and national media personnel, conducts news conferences and interviews, and provides timely and accurate information about agency-related activities and programs.
The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office continues its mission to maintain close relationships with the public and the news media. This website assists us in our venture to serve the public and offer information to the people of this community of important sheriff’s office events and press releases. Press releases are listed on our home page.
The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office is strongly committed to serving our citizens, not only through enforcement, but also education, crime prevention and community involvement.
•Police K-9 demonstrations
•Drug and crime Prevention
•Neighborhood Watch
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edlacey@cherokeega.com |
Criminal Investigation Division (C.I.D.) personnel are responsible for compiling information to substantiate the existence of criminal activity, for obtaining evidence to identify arrest and convict those who violate the law, for locating stolen property and for providing assistance to those victimized by the criminal actions of others.
The Investigation Division consists of thirty four personnel consisting of one captain, two lieutenants, four sergeants, ten detectives, ten investigators, a gang / intelligence officer, a computer forensic technician, a geographic information systems analyst, and four secretaries.
The division's regular working hours are from 8 a.m. until 12 midnight , with on-call detectives available during non-working hours. The division is divided into two sections, person crime and property crime. Each of these groups are separated into two units which are each supervised by a sergeant.
Property Crime Section : Lieutenant Bert Love manages the property crimes section. This section is divided into two units investigating Property Crime and White Collar and High Tech Crime.
The White Collar Unit consists of a sergeant and three detectives/investigators that specialize in the investigation of crimes involving identity theft, forgery, financial transaction card fraud, and embezzlement thefts. The members of this unit receive specialized training in financial crimes and are required to remain abreast of the developing trends in fraud practices. They maintain close contacts with banks and merchants in their efforts to identify suspects. These investigations often span many jurisdictions requiring these detectives/investigators to work closely and collaboratively with other agencies.
Safety Tip: Diligence is the best defense to becoming a victim of identity fraud. Never carry your social security card on your person, never write down your debit/credit card PIN number, know who you are communicating with before providing any personal information, and regularly inspect your credit history for accounts that you did not open.
The Property Crimes Unit consists of a sergeant and six detectives/investigators. This unit is responsible for investigation of residential and commercial burglaries, motor vehicle thefts, personal property thefts, criminal damage, and pawned property. The members of this unit are trained in evidence collection, including the collection of fingerprints, footprints, and DNA. These detectives/investigators maintain contacts within the community for the facilitation of suspect identifications and leads. They receive specialized training in motor vehicle technology and identification.
Safety Tip: Deterrence is the best defense against becoming the victim of a burglary or theft. Always insure that your residence/business is secured when you are away or asleep. Keeping the bushes close to your residence/business properly trimmed and proper exterior lighting allows others to see the windows and entry doors and keeps would be criminals from entering undetected. Never leave valuables in your vehicle and always lock your vehicle when parked.
Should you become a victim of a burglary, vacate the premises immediately and call 911. Do not go about the residence or business picking up, moving or disturbing items, due to the fact that useful evidence may be destroyed or contaminated. After deputies and investigators are finished processing the scene, carefully examine the premises and make an itemized list of property taken and give it to the investigator. Victims should notify neighbors of the incident to make them aware of the criminal activity taking place.
Person Crime Section: Lieutenant Kimberly Grant manages the person crime section which is divided into two units; the Domestic Violence Unit and the Crimes Against Children Unit.
The Domestic Violence (DV) Unit consists of one Sergeant, two Corporals, and two Investigators. This Unit answers Uniforms Patrols request to respond to active scenes of domestic and family violence. At the scene, interviews are conducted and evidence is collected to identify the primary aggressor so proper resolution to the case is achieved. The DV Unit also works cold cases. Follow up activity on these cases includes reviewing and analyzing the historical elements of the case. The personnel in this unit are highly trained in family dynamics and how the physiological element factors into the commission of the crime.
The Crimes Against Children Unit has One Sergeant, three Corporals, and one investigator. This Units works closely with Department of Family and Children Services, the Anna Crawford Center, and the District Attorney’s Office to provide optimal prosecution of these cases. By Georgia state law all child abuse cases, molestation, and neglect cases that are reported to DFACS are forwarded to this agency for review and dissemination. The mission of this unit is to save one child at a time. The personnel of this unit are required to attend specialized training that deals with the crimes committed against children. The selection process for staffing this unit is extensive focusing on the individual’s personality traits that will lend to their longevity in the unit.
Attached to the Crimes Against Children Unit is an investigator specifically assigned to manage Cherokee County ’s Sex Offender Registry. This individual is responsible for keeping the CSO compliant with state and federal law as it relates to sex offenders. The CSO also has a web site dedicated to providing citizens with information regarding the sex offenders that live and work in our community. Keeping this web site current is another responsibility of this investigator. Anyone in Cherokee County that wishes to receive instant email alerts if a sex offender moves into your neighborhood can sign up for this service by visiting this link: http://www.watchsystems.com/ga/cherokee/
Safety Tip: Children are particularly vulnerable to sex offenders. Open communication between parents and children is vital to family safety. If a picture is available from the Sheriff's website, show it to your family. In general terms, tell your children that this person has hurt someone before. Explain to them that they should stay away from this individual. Avoid scary details. The purpose behind community notification is to reduce the chance of future victimization by better informing the public.
The Crimes Against Children Unit also supervises the investigation of any child sexual exploitation cases. One of the Sheriff’s Office tools used to accomplish this is membership in the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The ICAC Task Force was created by the Department of Justice and currently there are 45 regional Task Force agencies across the nation participating in the program. Georgia ’s ICAC is supervised by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. The mission of the task force is to investigate offenders who use the internet, online communication systems, or computer technology to sexually exploit children. The ICAC unit does this proactively by posing as children on the internet and interacting with suspects. They also conduct reactive investigations brought to our attention by Cyber Tips, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, other Federal and State agencies, local citizen complaints, as well as municipal agencies from other states. Anyone can make a referral to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children by visiting http://www.missingkids.com/ .
Safety Tip: A parent is the best person to teach a child about personal safety. There is no perfect age when parents should
begin teaching children about personal safety. A child’s ability to comprehend and practice safety skills is affected by age, educational and developmental levels. Here are some tips to assist you: LISTEN to your children. Know your children’s daily activities and habits. Listen to what they like and what they don’t like. Encourage open communication. Let your children know they can talk to you about any situation. Reassure your children that their safety is your #1 concern. TEACH your children. Set boundaries about places they may go, people they may see, and things they may do. Reinforce the importance of the “buddy system.” It’s OK to say NO – tell your children to trust their instincts. Get INVOLVED. Know where your children are at all times. Your children should check in with you if there is a change in plans. There is no substitute for your attention and supervision. PRACTICE safety skills with your child. Rehearse safety skills so that they become second nature.
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Operations Division Index
Email: |
The Violent Crime Unit investigates all violent crime in Cherokee County. This includes homicides, robberies, rapes and other crimes against persons.
The unit is composed of a Captain as Unit Commander, Lieutenant, Sergeant and five other detectives and investigators. Two members of the unit are State certified crime scene technicians, with a third person in the certification process.. The unit has two crime scene response units that respond to all major incidents.
The Violent Crime Unit also has the Avid Media Composer Adrenaline Video Enhancement System, used to enhance and analyze video evidence. There are currently three personnel in the unit certified to operate this equipment.
The Violent Crime Unit operates with two shifts, one day watch and the other during evening hours. The Unit maintains an on call schedule for after hours and weekend call outs.
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Fax: (770)924-0866 |
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Email:
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Return to the Field
Operations Division Index
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Email:
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jbhill@cherokeega.com |
The Uniform Patrol Division is one of four divisions within the Sheriff's Office. Deputies will be assigned to the Uniform Patrol Division after completing duties in the Adult Detention Center. Upon entering the Uniform Patrol Division, deputies are assigned to the Field Training Program. This 12 week program prepares the deputy for all assignments throughout the agency.
The Uniform Patrol Division is staffed and manned to render general public safety assistance to those who live, work and play in the unincorporated areas of Cherokee County. The principal responsibility of the Uniform Patrol Division is to provide twenty-four hour protection and services for the citizens of and visitors to Cherokee County. In addition, they act to prevent the occurrence of street crimes through visible preventive patrol; to respond rapidly to all requests of an emergency nature; to improve the criminal apprehension rate by conducting thorough preliminary on scene investigations where appropriate; to reduce traffic congestion and accident hazards through systematic enforcement of traffic laws; to respond to motor vehicle accidents and render aid to victims; to assist citizens in dealing with legal, medical, social or humanitarian problems through direct crisis intervention and/or making referrals to agencies equipped to deal with such problems; and to improve law enforcement and community relations through increasing the quality and quantity of contact between citizens and the Sheriff's Office. Deputies of the Uniform Patrol Division respond to every call for service. Precincts:
Waleska Precinct - Lieutenant James C. Easterwood- (770) 345-3376
Hickory Flat Precinct - Lieutenant Charles McMahan- (770) 479-4555
Bells Ferry Precinct - Lieutenant Sam Rentz - (770) 924-6794
Bridge Mill Precinct - Lieutenant Ken Locke - (770) 479-4766
Freehome Precinct - Lieutenant Joseph Perkins - (770) 844-6777
The Uniform Patrol Division operates twenty four hours a day seven days a week. Each Precinct runs three shifts. The day shift operates from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The evening shift operates from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and the morning shift operates from 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Each precinct and deputy are outfitted with up to date equipment and vehicles to better perform their required duties in a safe and ready manner.
Education:
Every Deputy is encouraged to expand their educational skills, to include college as well as law enforcement courses. Each Deputy must complete 45 hours of law enforcement P.O.S.T. certified courses each year.
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Operations Division Index
Objective:
The objective of the Traffic Enforcement Unit is to reduce traffic related injuries and crashes through educational and enforcement efforts. This goal is accomplished through educational programs presented to high school students and community organizations, concentrated enforcement efforts in areas where statistics indicate a high frequency of crashes, and public awareness programs.
History:
The Traffic Enforcement Unit was formed in 1994 under a Community Traffic Safety Program Grant from the Governor's Office of Highway Safety. The unit originally consisted of two officers and two patrol cars. The enforcement efforts of these officers resulted in a significant reduction in D.U.I. related fatality crashes and led to expansion of the unit in 1996. The Traffic Enforcement Unit now consists of 10 officers. 3 Officers operate under a state grant, “H.E.A.T.’ Unit. 4 officers are on the 6-officer Motorcycle Unit. All operate within the Traffic Enforcement Unit. The Traffic Unit has specialized equipment which includes a radar trailer, as well as a ‘Total Station’ which is used in accident reconstruction.
Equipment:
Each patrol vehicle assigned in the Traffic Enforcement Unit is equipped with state of the art speed detection devices, including LIDAR and video cameras. The video equipment is installed for officer safety purposes and evidence documentation.
The Unit also utilizes a radar trailer in areas of frequent traffic related complaints. This trailer is designed to inform motorists of their speed as it relates to the posted speed limit. The trailer also documents the motorist's speed providing officer's with statistical data to better organize their enforcement efforts.
The Traffic Enforcement Unit also utilizes a SOKKIA Total Station, an accident reconstruction/crime scene investigation package for the investigation of automobile crashes resulting in serious injury or fatality. This equipment is equivalent to instrumentation used by land surveyors, and it allows the accident reconstructionists to survey an accident scene in a time efficient manner with a very high degree of accuracy.
Educational Programs:
Officers assigned to Traffic Enforcement Unit participate in educational and community awareness programs throughout the year. These programs consist of driver safety presentations to high school classes, driver’s education classes, scout troops, church groups, and make other presentations as requested. Officers participate in static displays, to include ‘Night Out Against Crime’, Annual Air Shows, and helping with presentations of the ‘Ghost-Out’ Program at the high schools. They also coordinate with local MADD chapters, as well as Safe Kids of Georgia.
The programs are designed to make the students aware of the importance of seat belts and the dangers of speed and intoxication. The program also touches on other destructive decisions that many teens make. The nature of the presentation is to provide a personal experience to each student by utilizing other students in the program.
Special Enforcement Efforts:
The Traffic Enforcement Unit concentrates its normal enforcement efforts in areas where statistics indicate a high frequency of automobile crashes and other areas receiving traffic related complaints. During certain holiday seasons, all officers assigned to the unit participate in specialized patrols. These patrols, commonly referred to as task forces, operate under adjusted hours and target D.U.I., speed, and seat belt offenses. These task forces often set up stationary road checks throughout the county. The purpose of these road checks is to insure that all motorists passing the road check are sober, licensed, and insured. The unit also performs many road checks throughout the year in conjunction with the Georgia State Patrol. The statistics from these road checks are reported nationally.
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Lt. Sam Rentz
K-9 Unit Commander
(770) 592-4221
The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit has been a full time unit since 1989. Currently the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office has five K-9’s. Three narcotics detection dogs and two explosive detection dogs. The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit currently consists of a Lieutenant, a Corporal, and three deputies. All of the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office K-9’s are from overseas and receive their initial training in Titusville, Florida. After the K-9’s initial training, the dogs and the handlers receive intensive training with NASA at the Kennedy Space Center and with Titusville Police Department in Florida. Afterwards, the K-9 Handlers and the dogs train on a weekly basis.
Lt. Sam Rentz is the K-9 Unit Commander as well as the Oak Grove Precinct Commander. Lt. Sam Rentz has been a K-9 Handler since 1991 and his newest partner is K-9 Maverick. K-9 Maverick is a Dutch Sheppard imported from Holland. K-9 Maverick is trained in narcotics detection and patrol.
Cpl. Matthew Azaroff has been a K-9 Handler since May of 2003. Cpl. Matthew Azaroff is the handler of K-9 Marco. K-9 Marco is a Belgian Malinois imported from Holland. K-9 Marco is trained in explosives detection and patrol.
D/S Lee Stewart has been a K-9 Handler since December of 2001. D/S Lee Stewart is the handler of K-9 Boris. K-9 Boris is a Belgian Malinois imported from Holland. K-9 Boris is trained in narcotics detection and patrol.
D/S Darin Downey has been a K-9 Handler since 2005. D/S Darin Downey is the handler of K-9 Rico. K-9 Rico is a Belgian Malinois imported from Holland. K-9 Rico is trained in narcotics detection and patrol.
D/S Olen Boughner has been a K-9 Handler since November of 2006. D/S Olen Boughner is the handler of K-9 Nitro. K-9 Nitro is a Belgian Malinois imported from Holland. K-9 Nitro is trained in explosives detection and patrol.
Since 1990 the K-9 Unit has seized more than $24,000,000 in illegal drugs. The K-9 Unit is also responsible in locating missing/lost persons and tracking fleeing suspects, from many different incidents.
A high priority for the K-9 Unit is education and public relations. Each year the K-9 Unit visits Cherokee County Schools and participates in community functions. Some of the public functions include America’s Night Out Against Crime, Red Ribbon Week, Neighborhood Watch Programs, and speaking with the Boy Scouts of America.
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Operations Division Index
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Operations Division Index
The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office Special Weapons and Tactics Team was formed in 1997 in response to school violence incidents across the United States . The original team consisted of ten members. In the past ten years, the team has expanded to over twice that size with team members possessing specialized skills in high risk building entry, hostage rescue, gas deployment, breaching, counter-surveillance, electronics, first aid, rappelling, and precision rifle. All team members are required to pass a rigorous physical fitness test and demonstrate elevated shooting skills with a variety of specialized weapons. Team members routinely attend specialized training courses in tactics, marksmanship, incident command, rapid deployment, at some of the finest training facilities in the United States . The team also engages in regularly scheduled in-service training to continue to hone the skills learned during advanced training. In addition to their tactical training several of the team members hold certifications as general, firearms, defensive tactics, less lethal munitions, and driving instructors. Barricaded gunmen, woodland searches, hostage situations, and civil disturbances have been the most common calls for the team, but the on-going threats of school violence as well as foreign and domestic terrorist activities are situations that the team continues to prepare for. The SWAT Commander is Lt. Joe Satterfield and may be contacted via e-mail at 
