On April 26, Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown implemented a new 12 hour shift rotation system for the Uniformed Patrol Division of the Sheriff’s Office. During the first quarter of this year alone (Jan. 1-March 31), Newton County Sheriff’s Office deputies have answered over 15,000 documented calls for service. Under the old shift rotation system, deputies were working extra days, long hours and a lot of overtime to cover the necessary demands of the NCSO Patrol Division. Brown said that deputies under the antiquated shift rotation system would have to work every six weeks before they had a weekend off and were able to spend quality time with their families.

According to Brown, the new 12-hour shift rotation will greatly improve the quality of life for both the citizens of Newton County and the deputies who serve. He added, the new system enhances the deputy’s response times, increases patrol deputies’ visibility and adds additional deputies at the identified periods of the day for crime suppression. Brown went on to say that a 12-hour rotation will boost the overall morale of the NCSO by affording deputies more rest and more time off with their families. According to Brown, a well-rested deputy makes a more alert, decisive and professional law enforcement officer, who deals with critical, life-saving incidents on a day-to-day basis.