Meet the Candidates: Ken Harmon, Republican Candidate for Sheriff

Ken Harmon (Jackson County Sheriff, Georgia, candidate 2024)

Ken Harmon

Ken is married to his wife, Jacki, with whom they have two children and two grandchildren. He resides in Jackson County with his family and attends Jefferson Church. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Public Administration from Liberty University and a master’s degree in Public Safety Administration from Columbus State University. Harmon is also a graduate of the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College and the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville.

Ken currently serves as Chief of Police for the city of Commerce. He has worked in a variety of roles in law enforcement, including Uniform Patrol, Traffic Enforcement, Criminal investigations, and as a Task force officer for the Drug Enforcement Administration. 

This is Ken Harmon's first entry into politics.

Plans to combat opioid addiction and overdoses by investigating sales and distribution, and working with recovery groups.

Plans to "have a functioning tactical response team capable of protecting our community should a violent criminal incident occur."

Wants to emphasize traffic enforcement to prevent serious injury and fatal crashes by focusing on specific locations based on crash data and other intelligence.

- Plans to combat opioid addiction and overdoses by investigating sales and distribution, and working with recovery groups.
- Plans to "have a functioning tactical response team capable of protecting our community should a violent criminal incident occur."
- Wants to emphasize traffic enforcement to prevent serious injury and fatal crashes by focusing on specific locations based on crash data and other intelligence.

Public Safety

Wants to address the staffing shortage at the Sheriff's Office through the "use of recruitment tools to streamline hiring practices and make the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office a more enticing place to begin a law enforcement career."

Plans to prioritize retention of staff through the implementation of servant leadership practices.

Wants to work with local school systems to locate and recruit students interested in law enforcement, and technical colleges to develop a program where students gain work experience while pursuing an  associate's degree with financial support from the governor's office. 

As the Chief of Police, he worked to bring advancements in technology to Commerce Police Department like new body cameras, an in-car camera system, and the deployment of stationary tag readers around the city.

- Wants to address the staffing shortage at the Sheriff's Office through the "use of recruitment tools to streamline hiring practices and make the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office a more enticing place to begin a law enforcement career."
- Plans to prioritize retention of staff through the implementation of servant leadership practices.
- Wants to work with local school systems to locate and recruit students interested in law enforcement, and technical colleges to develop a program where students gain work experience while pursuing an  associate's degree with financial support from the governor's office. 
- As the Chief of Police, he worked to bring advancements in technology to Commerce Police Department like new body cameras, an in-car camera system, and the deployment of stationary tag readers around the city.

Jail Management

As of March 19, 2024, Ken Harmon’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Criminal Justice

Facebook

Ken Harmon is married to his wife, and together they have two children and two grandchildren. He resides in Jackson County with his family and attends Jefferson Church. He received a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and Public Administration from Liberty University and a master’s degree in Public Safety Administration from Columbus State University. Harmon is a graduate of the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College and the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville.

Ken Harmon currently serves as Chief of Police for the city of Commerce. He has more than 30 years of experience in law enforcement, having worked in a variety of roles including Uniform Patrol, Traffic Enforcement, Criminal investigations, and as a Task force officer for the Drug Enforcement Administration. Harmon has hosted community events such as Shop with a Hero, National Night Out, Coffee with a Cop, and Community Block Parties.

Plans to combat opioid addiction and overdoses by investigating sales and distribution and working with recovery groups.

Website says, "With exponential growth, the County will experience a rise in crime, traffic related incidents, gang activity, and other ills that will, if left unabated, create a shift in the identity of the County.  The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office led by Ken Harmon will work tirelessly to protect the identity of Jackson County and ward off the ills of exponential growth."

- Plans to combat opioid addiction and overdoses by investigating sales and distribution and working with recovery groups.
- Website says, "With exponential growth, the County will experience a rise in crime, traffic related incidents, gang activity, and other ills that will, if left unabated, create a shift in the identity of the County.  The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office led by Ken Harmon will work tirelessly to protect the identity of Jackson County and ward off the ills of exponential growth."
- Plans to "have a functioning tactical response team capable of protecting our community should a violent criminal incident occur."
- Wants to emphasize traffic enforcement to prevent serious injury and fatal crashes by focusing on specific locations based on crash data and other intelligence.

Said, "We will partner with our school systems and identify students who have an interest in a law enforcement career and bring them onto our staff in varied capacities. We will partner with local technical colleges and require students within the program to pursue an associate degree while capitalizing on workforce development scholarships available through the Governor’s Office."

Worked to bring advancements in technology to Commerce Police Department like new body cameras, an in-car camera system, and the deployment of stationary tag readers around the city.

- Wants to address the staffing shortage at the Sheriff's Office through the "use of recruitment tools to streamline hiring practices and make the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office a more enticing place to begin a law enforcement career."
- Plans to prioritize retention of staff through the implementation of servant leadership practices.
- Said, "We will partner with our school systems and identify students who have an interest in a law enforcement career and bring them onto our staff in varied capacities. We will partner with local technical colleges and require students within the program to pursue an associate degree while capitalizing on workforce development scholarships available through the Governor’s Office."
- Worked to bring advancements in technology to Commerce Police Department like new body cameras, an in-car camera system, and the deployment of stationary tag readers around the city.

The County Sheriff is an elected official who acts as the chief law enforcement officer in their county. They are tasked with operating the county jails, keeping courtrooms secure during trials, and keeping the public safe through proper law enforcement. Each Sheriff's Office in Georgia may look a little different in how they hire and run their teams, but all County Sheriffs have the same duties. These duties include the following:

- Operating the county jail
- Providing court security
- Serving civil papers
- Executing arrest warrants
- Providing primary law enforcement within unincorporated areas of the county
- Working with city law enforcement officers to keep municipalities safe

The County Sheriff and their office are unique to other law enforcement agencies in that it has to answer to the people it serves. Historically, a turnover in the Sheriff’s office will likely result in noticeable change within the office, so voting for this office is a very effective way to vote approval or disapproval for how county law enforcement is conducted.

The chief law enforcement officer in the county