Impacts roads, public transit, housing, and taxes.

Georgia

2020 Primary Election

The county sheriff has four main responsibilities: running the county jails, providing courtroom security, law enforcement, and community outreach. These duties allow the sheriff to make a significant impact on our communities and the criminal justice system.

DeKalb

When you think of law enforcement, you likely think of your city’s police force before the sheriff. However, Georgia’s Constitution mandates that each county has a sheriff, and Georgia law designates the sheriff as the chief law enforcement officer of the county. In most counties with city police departments, the sheriff voluntarily hands over general law enforcement activities to city police. Even then, they cannot be forced to do so.

The County Sheriff has three main responsibilities.

1. First is law enforcement, usually done in partnership with the city police. This is meant to be centered around protecting people and property. This involves patrolling jurisdictions, responding to calls, enforcing laws, and making arrests.

2. Second is courtroom security. The sheriff and their deputies provide physical protection in courthouses and act as bailiffs to the Superior Court. The duties of bailiffs include escorting jury members to and from the courtrooms, attending to their needs, guarding them from outside influences, and serving all court summons (subpoenas). In 2005, the Fulton County Sheriff faced harsh scrutiny after an incident in which a sitting judge was killed in a Fulton county courtroom. 

3. Third is jail management. The Sheriff’s department is the official county jailer and is responsible for the health, safety, and wellbeing of its inmates, which may be the lesser-known duty for this office. In the time of COVID-19, sheriffs across the state are under increased scrutiny as concerns about inmate safety have been raised. The office is also responsible for preparing inmates for returning to society by employing transitional programs and potentially helping them overcome addictions. In 2019, the Fulton County Sheriff’s office became the first jail-based agency to receive a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for this purpose.

Runs county jails & keeps the public safe

Fulton

The Superior Court is the highest trial level court in the judiciary system of Georgia, which means it is just one step below the Supreme Court of Georgia. Comprised of two sides, it handles both civil and criminal cases.

Highest trial court in Fulton, ruling on cases such as murder, assault, divorce, and adoption

The County Board of Commissioners is the legislative branch of your county government. That means they pass laws, much like your state legislature or city council; howver, they do so at the county level. Legislation passed by the Board of Commissioners usually focuses on issues that are more local, such as housing, zoning, infrastructure, public transit, taxes, but this isn't always the case.

The county-level lawmaker for your county district

2020 Georgia candidates

County Commissioner, Super district 6

DeKalb County Sheriff

9 candidates

Fulton County Sheriff

5 candidates

Judge of Superior Court, Seat 2

4 candidates

County Commissioner, District 4

County Commissioner, District 6

2 candidates

County Commissioner, District 6

Fulton County Sheriff

County Commissioner, District 3

County Commissioner, District 5