A Message from the Sheriff
It is my honor and privilege to serve the citizens of Oglethorpe County, Georgia.
You have entrusted me with the tremendous responsibility of protecting the people and property of Oglethorpe County. I take my obligation to serve and protect this community very seriously.
With the help of the community, we have built an exceptional Sheriff’s Office. It is our desire to constantly improve the service, safety, and excellence of our operations.
I am forever grateful for your support. My door is always open to the citizens of this great County.
Sheriff David Gabriel
dgabriel@oglethorpesheriff.org
(706) 743-8101 Ext. 1701
Mission
The Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office will provide for the safety and protection of the citizens and businesses of Oglethorpe County and ensure that public interests and constitutionally guaranteed liberties are protected.
Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office personnel shall maintain a high level of work ethic, integrity, and honor in the performance of their duties.
To fulfill this mission, the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office shall:
- Enforce all applicable laws and ordinances
- Protect and promote the quality of life in Oglethorpe County
- Promote effective crime prevention practices
- Investigate all criminal activity
- Identify and arrest those suspected of illegal activity
- Provide advocacy and assistance to the victims of crime
- Incarcerate and secure those suspected and convicted of a crime
- Preserve and protect the judicial process
- Provide effective service of warrants and civil process
- Enforce all traffic laws and provide proactive traffic solutions
- Render aid and assistance to all citizens in time of crisis
- Provide appropriate public information
- Maintain a highly trained and qualified staff
- Maintain the highest standards of ethics and integrity
Value Statement
We, the men and women of the Oglethorpe County Sheriff’s Office, realize that the citizens have entrusted us with providing the highest quality of service for the citizens of Oglethorpe County. We understand that we are a full-service organization working together with the citizens to enhance the quality of life in Oglethorpe County. To accomplish these goals, we place the highest value on the following principles:
- We believe our primary duty is to protect the life and property of all citizens in Oglethorpe County.
- We believe in developing and maintaining a partnership with the citizens of Oglethorpe County. Citizens and law enforcement should be partners working together through mutual involvement and cooperation to seek long-term solutions to the problems of crime.
- We believe in maintaining the highest standards of professionalism. By providing full-service law enforcement based on integrity and accountability, we seek the trust and confidence of those we serve.
- We believe in equality based on the principles of the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
- These are our highest values. We commit ourselves to these principles, and we will strive to achieve each of them in the performance of our assigned duties.
Emergency 911 Center
The primary mission of the Oglethorpe County Emergency 911 Communications Center is to provide the vital and necessary communications link between the citizens and emergency service providers in Oglethorpe County.
The Communications Center is responsible for dispatching fire, EMS, and law enforcement emergency services.
The Communications Center is vital to our public safety mission as well as the safety of our deputies. The Communications Center operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
Field Operations
Our road deputies are the most visible division of the Sheriff’s Office. They are the front-line responders to Oglethorpe County’s public safety needs. They conduct our uniform patrol and traffic operations. These deputies respond to all of our 911 calls for service. Our field operations personell are responsible for responding to more than 20,000 calls for service each year.
Criminal Investigations
Our investigators operate a full-scale investigations division. This division is repsonsible for investigating the full-spectrum of criminal complaints, from misdemeanor crimes to homicides. Our investigators are well-trained in criminal investigation procedures, interviews and interrogations, crime scene processing, and surveillance. Our investigators conduct more than 1,000 investigations each year.
Jail
Our jail deputies are resonsible for housing the inmates of Oglethorpe County. They must ensure the facility is safe and secure for the staff, inmates, and visitors to the jail. This division also processes bonds, and transports inmates. The jail is operated in accordance with all state and federal laws.
Administration
The administrative division is responsible for the ensuring the clerical operations of the agency operate efficiently. They provide fast efficient access to accident and incident reports, maintain the sex offender registry, process open records requests, and much more.
Sergeant Ronald Charles Cheek
On August 5, 1995, Oglethorpe County Sherriff’s Sergeant Ronald Charles Cheek was killed in the line of duty.
Cheek was gunned down while responding to a domestic disturbance on Beaverdam Road near Winterville. Cheek arrived on the scene at 5:17 pm, and was immediately shot in the chest four times by Jim Martin.
Chief Deputy Billy Melton arrived on the scene within one minute. Melton engaged in a gunfight and killed Martin.
Cheek served the citizens of Oglethorpe County for 19 years, where he was known to patrol the County with a Bible on the dash of his patrol car. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and son.
God Bless the Cheek family.
