Canton, Cherokee County, Ga. July 2, 2007- Captain Karen Johnson with the Cherokee Sheriff's Office, has been appointed to the "Chief Justice Led Task Force to Promote Criminal Justice/Mental Health Collaboration". Captain Johnson was appointed to the task force by Chief Justice Sears of the Supreme Court of Georgia. The task force was created to investigate and provide possible solutions to the issue of the growing population of mentally ill inmates in the local county jails and the prison system in Georgia. The task force is comprised of approximately 40 representatives from around the state to include the Georgia Sheriff's Association, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, Department of Corrections, Georgia Department of Public Health, as well as physicians, mental health workers, attorneys, and various superior court judges. Captain Johnson's appointment will last for one year.
Captain Johnson has been with the Sheriff's Office for more than 14 years. During that time she has worked narcotics, uniform patrol, criminal investigation, and has been the Commander of the Adult Detention Center since 2004. Captain Johnson received a Bachelor's degree from Kennesaw State University, a Masters degree from Columbus State University, and is a graduate of the 2001 F.B.I. National Academy. Captain Johnson has recently become one of nine American Jail Association Certified Jail Managers in the state of Georgia.