Sheriff Ezell Brown will seek a third term as Newton County Sheriff after making the announcement before a large group of church members at Bethlehem Baptist Church Sunday, Jan. 10.
Brown said he will share his 2016 platform during the official launch of his campaign, but has eight years of service and action to stand on.
“Why am I seeking office again?” Brown said. “First and far most, we have made tremendous strides and we are well on our way to accomplishing all the goals I have set for myself, the Sheriff’s Office and the citizens of Newton County.”
When Brown first ran for sheriff his platform was to bridge the gap between NCSO and the community, revitalize community watches, have better communication between the sheriff’s office and other local, state and federal agencies, win the war against sex, drugs and violence and establish networking opportunities. When he ran again in 2012, Brown wanted to enhance customer service, make NCSO part of the American Jail Association, establish a specialized criminal investigations division, implement a crime analysis action report, broaden community outreach activities, become state certified and receive national departmental certification.
When asked if he has accomplished everything he set out to do, Brown said he may not have done so yet, but is committed to maintaining a level of excellence and taking the Sheriff’s Office to the next level.
“We have achieved a lot of goals in the past eight years,” Brown said. “However, I have many more ideas to bring on board to continue to be one of the greatest sheriff’s offices not only in the state of Georgia but throughout the nation.”
Brown points to the Sheriff’s Office’s accomplishments since he took office in 2008. They include state certification for law enforcement services, national accreditation in health care, and receiving more than $1,000,000 in federal grant funds.
Since Brown has taken office life skills programs for inmates through GED, C.H.O.I.C.E.S, Celebrate Recovery, Authentic Manhood and a variety of other courses have been initiated. More than 342 individuals have completed C.H.O.I.C.E.S, a Brown University-based online education program for the inmates.
“The idea that it takes a village to raise a child has expanded,” Brown said. “It now takes a township.”
The office has also increased its efforts in community outreach hosting five annual back to school drives, annual Toy Rides, and Neighborhood Watch programs in more than 50 communities; graduating more than 12,000 fifth graders through the Choosing Healthy Activities and Methods Promoting Safety (CHAMPS) program; providing more than 13,000 students with school supplies, serving more than 1,500 children, running the Project Lifesaver program and putting on gun safety workshops.
“Over the past four years we’ve raised the bar,” Brown said. “Here at the sheriff’s office we just acquired accreditation nationally here in the jail. We’re going to continue to strive and make sure our law enforcement side is nationally recognized.”
Brown was elected Region II Vice President for the Georgia Sheriff’s Association, making him the spokesperson for the metro area, and was picked to serve as part of the Georgia Sheriff’s Association Initiative media campaign.
“There’s much work for the staff and still much work to be done for the community,” Brown said. “I feel that I still have that fighting spirit.”
