NCSO 2020 DECEMBER
NEWSLETTER
A MOMENT WITH Each year, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office create goals and objectives for the agency. Listed below are the agency’s accomplishments for 2020: • Hosted Eleventh Annual Awards Ceremony • Hosted Ninth Annual Back to School Supply Giveaway • Hosted Eighth and Ninth Residential Substance Abuse Treatment graduation • Awarded Third Consecutive National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) Reaccreditation Award • Successfully managed more than 350 inmates daily during the coronavirus pandemic • Awarded $1,122,792.23 for the FY20 COPS Grant • Implemented a pandemic response plan for the Detention Center • Implemented video visitation for the inmates to connect with their families • Implemented touchless temperature readers • Received federal grant to continue a Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) program in the Newton County Detention Center • Partnered with agencies and churches to provide food and other essentials to families during the coronavirus pandemic • Partnered with Newton County Chapter National Action Network (NAN) and hosted the first annual Youth Summit • Partnered with the Department of Community Supervision to host Fourteenth Annual Sex Offender Compliance Check residence verifications • Partnered with local faith-based organizations for the first National Faith and Blue Weekend (NFBW) • Grand opening of the East Side Precinct • Received 2021 Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (H.E.A.T.) grant • Provided 15,959 training hours for employees in various subject matters during a global pandemic • Broke ground on approximately 10,000 square-foot expansion • Served as the guest speaker for the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association Newly-Elected Sheriffs’ Conference • The Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (H.E.A.T.) Unit received the Agency of the Year Award from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Central Region Network • Completed the construction of a security guard building on the premises
looking back at 2020...
Eighth RSAT Graduation February 2020
Annual Awards Ceremony March 2020
First COVID-19 Testing April 2020
SHERIFF BROWN Ninth RSAT Graduation May 2020
Expansion Groundbreaking June 2020
NCCHC Reaccreditation July 2020
Back to School Giveaway August 2020
Lt. Paul Gunter Retires September 2020
Annual Sex Offender Compliance Check October 2020
Battles of the Badges November 2020
H.E.A.T. Agency of the Year December 2020
Sheriff Ezell Brown Newton County, Georgia
general information The goal of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office is “to be recognized as the kind of professional organization that values, respects, and honors the rights and dignity of the entire community. Through an abundance of collaborative efforts, the NCSO is committed to improving life in every aspect for its citizens, businesses, schools, colleges/universities and visitors.” The Newton County Sheriff's Office is located at 15151 Alcovy Road in Covington, Georgia. From I-20, take Exit 92 onto Alcovy Road and travel north on Alcovy Road for approximately one mile and cross over Highway 142. The Sheriff's Office will be on the left. The administrative office hours for the Newton County Sheriff's Office are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding county holidays. The Newton County Jail is open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
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GENERAL INFORMATION SHERIFF’S SECRETARY JAIL INFORMATION JAIL FAX INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATION FAX PATROL UNIT TRAFFIC UNIT WARRANT UNIT WEST SIDE PRECINCT EAST SIDE PRECINCT TIP LINE
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678-625-1403 678-625-1401 678-625-1420 678-625-1450 678-625-1412 678-625-1451 678-625-1410 678-625-1469 678-625-1411 770-788-7812 770-243-8227 678-625-5007
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@newtonsheriffga Featured Photo: Sheriff Ezell Brown directs traffic during the First Annual Holiday Turkey Giveaway, hosted by the Berry family, on Dec. 5, 2020.
sheriff ezell brown sworn-in for fourth term Sheriff Ezell Brown was sworn in for his fourth term at the Newton County Historic Courthouse on Dec. 17, 2020. “I want to express my gratitude to all who supported my goal of continuing to serve and protect this wonderful Newton County community,” said Sheriff Brown. “As your Sheriff, I will continue being there for you. I will continue to fight to ensure our deputies have one of the highest starting salaries within our surrounding counties, and I will continue to fight to ensure our deputies have a retirement system.” Sheriff Brown added, “One thing I can say about our community and this nation is that we’re different from other countries. Leaders in other countries are often declared by religion, ethnicity, territory, and others. We are blessed to be in a country where leaders are elected by the people in which they serve. I am here to say we all live in the county of Newton, and I am the Sheriff for all, regardless of whether you voted for me or if we are in the same party. My party is not just who I serve; I serve the Constitution of Georgia and the Constitution of the United States, which is inclusive of all people. “I want to thank all of the silent majority who supported me, especially those who said, ‘The Sheriff will be all right.’ I am here to say we all live in the
county of Newton, in which I am honored to serve as your Sheriff.” Probate Judge Melanie Bell swore in Sheriff Brown, who stood alongside his wife. Following the swearing-in, he signed the Oath of Office and Oath of Loyalty for the Office of the Sheriff. Sheriff Brown began serving his fourth term on Jan. 1, 2021.
chaplain walden receives special recognition from newton county board of commissioners On Dec. 1, 2020, Chaplain James Walden of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office received special recognition from the Newton County Board of Commissioners for saving the life of “PFC Milligan,” a United States Marine Corps veteran. Milligan was traveling through Newton County, Georgia, with his wife when they stopped at a local restaurant, where they happen to come across Chaplain Walden and his wife, according to a letter addressed to Sheriff Ezell Brown on Sept. 23, 2020. Chaplain Walden provided words of inspiration and prayer to the couple as they sat on an outdoor bench; Milligan declared the compassion shown to him at that time diminished the thoughts of suicide caused by PTSD. “I work with the veterans, and there’s so many of them that go through all kinds of stuff. I thank God
that he put me in the right place at the right time,” said Chaplain Walden at the Dec. 1 BOC meeting. “I don’t take credit. I thank God that he gave me the heart to work with them and still work with them. I thank the Sheriff for over the past eight years I’ve worked with him.” Chaplain Walden accepted the special recognition alongside his family and Sheriff Brown. “In times of crisis at the Sheriff’s Office, especially with inmates, Chaplain Walden is the person that delivers good messages as well as the bad. Most of the time, we get bad messages delivered,” said Sheriff Brown. “He’s the person that will go down, tell that inmate about the loss of their loved one, and pray with them. He was going day after day, letting someone know that a loved one has gone. I thank him for that.”
newton county deputies give presentation at new judges conference Deputies Damion Fray, Andrew Archie, Kurt Collins, and Patrick Gilbert received an invitation to speak with the new Georgia probate judges about speed detection devices and the standardized field sobriety test (SFST) during the New Judges Conference on Dec. 1, 2020, in Athens, Georgia. Deputy Fray, crime analyst, made the concepts easy to understand for the judges who had no prior knowledge with them. Deputies Archie, Collins, and Gilbert, from the Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (H.E.A.T.) Unit, provided demonstrations on the speed detection devices and the SFST. In addition to explaining the concepts to the new judges, the deputies were able to provide new information to the experienced judges in attendance. “Deputies Fray, Archie, Collins, and Gilbert represented the Newton County Sheriff’s Office with pride, honor, and a high state of professionalism,” said Sheriff Ezell Brown. “I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to them for providing information on the standardized field sobriety test and speed detection devices to our new probate judges. I certainly hope the information shared was beneficial to the judges.”
FOURTH ANNUAL NEWTON On Dec. 3, 2020, the Newton County Board of Commissioners hosted its fourth annual Service Awards Ceremony at the Turner Lake Banquet Hall. The employees listed below were presented awards for 5, 10, 15, 25, and 30 years of service: 5 YEARS Casey Jones, Johnny Norrington, Dena Hill, Bethanie Edwards, Dustin Parks, Benjamin Mckinnon, Michael Hall, Jessie Johnston, Jemon Jordan, Samuel Grant, Charm Porter, Amarale Exantus, John Smith, Alissia Thomas, Pinky Hall, Laquasha Jarvis, Stevie Berry, Shena Applewhaite, Ashley Peterson, Audray Mcclay, Fred Briscoe, Matthew Kerrick, Antoinette Major, Timothy Smith, Michael Gregg, Anna Watkins, Anthius Bruno 10 YEARS William Bryans, Carmille Odom, Jennifred Price, Joshua Hicks, Nancy Norrington, Michael Cunningham, James Trent, Ditoria Hammond, Jayme Bauer, Angie Thompson 15 YEARS Janice Goddard, Jill Lumpkin, Carol Payne, Anita Carroll, Bradley Redmond, William Shirley, Travis Swords, Stephen Plunkett, Jacqueline Cobb, Freeman Moody, Terrance Spring, Marcia Wynne, Brenda Johnson, Kimberly Cox, Johnny Robinson, Adriane Roop, Joseph Lightsey, Timothy Dickerson, Christopher Bowles, Raymond Walden, Robert Warren 20 YEARS Brandy Bailey, Gregory Sullivan, Jody Nolan, Christopher Calhoun, Ryan Cummings, James Aaron, Bradley Stapp, Barry Lester, Michael Cook, Bryan Patrick, Sandra Gass, Freda Reed, Marilyn Williams 25 YEARS Shelia Taylor, James Palmer, Dana Maddox, Veronica Williams, Lisa Yates 30 YEARS William Goss, Renea Pringle, Emilio Diaz, Mickey Kitchens 35 YEARS Vivian Ramsey 40 YEARS Joyce Waldrop Pictured to the right are Newton County Sheriff’s Office award recipents who were present at the Dec. 3 ceremony.
COUNTY SERVICE AWARDS 5 YEARS
Deputy Tim Smith
Deputy Michael Gregg
10 YEARS
Deputy Ditoria Hammond
Cpl. Jennifred Price
Deputy Joshua Hicks
Lt. Michael Cunningham
15 YEARS
Inv. Christopher Bowles
Cpl. Joseph Lightsey
Cpl. Raymond Walden
Cpl. Timothy Dickerson
25 YEARS
Inv. Veronica Williams
30 YEARS
Cpl. Mickey Kitchens
sheriff brown and commissioner mason attend the first annual berry family turkey giveaway On Dec. 5, 2020, Sheriff Ezell Brown and District 2 Commissioner Demond Mason attended the First Annual Holiday Turkey Giveaway hosted by Pastor Trevor Berry and his family. The turkey giveaway was held at the Walgreens located at 12955 Brown Bridge Road in Covington. More than 300 turkeys were provided to local families for Christmas Day.
sheriff brown attends bicentennial kickoff Sheriff Ezell Brown attended the Newton County Bicentennial Kickoff Celebration on Dec. 5, 2020, in front of the Historic Courthouse, located at 1124 Clark Street in Covington. Newton County was chartered on Dec. 24, 1821, and will officially celebrate its 200th anniversary on Dec. 24, 2021.
sheriff and deputy attend drive-by birthday celebration for two-year-old covington boy On Dec. 6, 2020, Sheriff Ezell Brown and Deputy Michael Gregg attended a drive-by birthday celebration for Lee Harris Mitchell IV, who turned two years old. “Happy birthday, Lee,” said Sheriff Brown. “Thank you for allowing the Newton County Sheriff’s Office to be part of your big day.” Sheriff Brown and Deputy Gregg provided Lee with the opportunity to sit in the driver’s seat of a patrol car while his family took photos of the special moment.
sheriff brown attends the newly-elected georgia sheriffs’ conference in pine mountain On Dec. 8, 2020, Sheriff Ezell Brown attended a conference hosted by the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association for newly-elected sheriffs in Pine Mountain, Georgia. Sheriff Brown spoke to the 36 newly-elected sheriffs about the duties and responsibilities of the Office of the Sheriff as well as the importance of upholding the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of Georgia.
SHERIFF’S GUARDIAN ANGELS PROGRAM Sheriff Ezell Brown and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office helped an estimated 350 children and 150 families have a merrier Christmas through the annual Sheriff’s Guardian Angels program, held from Dec. 19-21, 2020. Each year, deputies assigned to the Sheriff’s Guardian Angels program provide Newton County families and children in need with toys, as well as clothes, food, and other necessities, on Christmas Day. The program allows deputies to be respectable and caring citizens, in addition to performing their duties as public servants. “I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to all supporters and sponsors of the Sheriff’s Guardian Angels program,” said Sheriff Brown. “Without you, this program would not have had another successful year. I would also like to extend my thanks and appreciation to all the deputies who took time out of their holiday schedules to help shop for these families and children in need.” This year’s Guardian Angels program was funded by Deputies Who Care, with numerous toy donations from individuals, businesses, and various organizations. In previous years, the Sheriff’s annual Toy Ride helps fund the Guardian Angel program; however, the ride was canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
SHERIFF EZELL BROWN AND THE NEWTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SEND THEIR GRATITUDE TO ALL INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT HELPED MAKE THE 2020 SHERIFF’S GUARDIAN ANGELS PROGRAM A SUCCESS.
we thank you! On Dec. 17, 2020, Sheriff Ezell Brown and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office received a donation of toys from Girl Scout Daisy Troop 20612 for the Sheriff’s Guardian Angels Giveaway. Sheriff Brown and the Sheriff’s Office send their sincere gratitude to Girl Scout Troop Leaders Haley Giles and Katie Childress; and Scouts Ryleigh Giles, Charlee White, Addison Wiley, Hope Simmons, Charley Childs, Gracelyn Childress, and Savannah Childress.
Sheriff Ezell Brown and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office received a donation of toys from the Kelley family for the Sheriff’s Guardian Angels Giveaway. Sheriff Brown and the Sheriff’s Office send their sincere gratitude to the Kelley family for their generous donation!
The Newton County Sheriff’s Office’s West Side Precinct received a donation of snacks and coffee from Covington Marketplace Kroger, located at 3700 Salem Road in Covington, on Dec. 15, 2020. Sheriff Ezell Brown and the Sheriff’s Office thank Jennifer Kuller, manager, and her staff for their generous donation!
Sheriff Ezell Brown and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office received a donation of toys from the two Synovus Bank branches in Covington, both located off Highway 278. Sheriff Brown and the Sheriff’s Office send their sincere gratitude to the employees of Synovus for their generous donation!
In December, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office were presented with gift cards for all of its employees, complimentary of the Stephanie Lindsey Law Firm. Sheriff Brown and the Sheriff’s Office extended a special thanks to Attorney Stephanie Lindsey for her kindness and generosity.
H.E.A.T. UNIT named 2020 agency of the year The Newton County Sheriff’s Office Highway Enforcement of Aggressive Traffic (H.E.A.T.) Unit received the Agency of the Year Award for 2020 from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Central Region Network. H.E.A.T. Unit Supervisor Cpl. Jack Redlinger and the H.E.A.T. Unit accepted the award on Dec. 18, 2020, at the December meeting hosted by Newton County.
Newton county c.h.a.m.p.s. program graduates fifty-nine students from fairview elementary Sheriff Ezell Brown and his C.H.A.M.P.S. instructors — Deputies Tim Smith, Michael Gregg, and Susan Young — graduated 59 students from the Newton County Sheriff’s Office C.H.A.M.P.S. program during the graduation held at Fairview Elementary on Dec. 14, 2020. Out of the 59 graduates, 34 students participated in-person, while practicing social distancing and wearing a mask, and 25 participated virtually through Zoom. Sheriff Brown and the Sheriff’s Office recognized Dr. LaMoyne A. Brunson, III, principal; Ebony Smith, assistant principal; Kelly Walker, assistant principal; and fifthgrade teachers Laura Manley, Carrie Fearnow, Carol Jean, and Queen Rogers for their part in making the C.H.A.M.P.S. program a success at Fairview Elementary.
WELCOME new employees Ashley Payne Detention Officer
Creslyn Howard Detention Officer
Daryl Cameron Deputy Sheriff
Lorenza Williams III Deputy Sheriff
SHERIFF EZELL BROWN AND THE NEWTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE WELCOME YOU!
COMMITMENT loyalty sacrifice dedication www . newtonsheriffga . org