Sheriff’s Office

In Georgia, legislation designates the Sheriff as the chief law enforcement officer in the county. Because the Georgia Constitution mandates that each county has a Sheriff, the Office of Sheriff in Georgia is considered to be both a constitutional and county office. The Sheriff is listed in the Georgia Constitution of 1983 as one of four independently elected county officers.

In the structure of county government, the Office of Sheriff is considered a county office, not a county department under the control of the Board of Commissioners. As a constitutional office, its internal operations are the sole responsibility of the Sheriff, and the Sheriff is not subordinate to the County governing body.

Today, Georgia Sheriffs have years of law enforcement and educational experience. They are highly trained law enforcement officers with legally mandated responsibilities such as:

Law Enforcement: The Sheriff has the responsibility of protecting life and property and for preservation of the public peace. This includes all law enforcement functions associated with those endeavors; such as patrol, traffic enforcement, conducting criminal investigations, serving criminal warrants, etc. The Sheriff is also responsible for the transportation of mentally ill residents of his county to mental health emergency receiving facilities.

Court Duties: In addition to providing physical security in the courtrooms and courthouse, the Sheriff must serve as Bailiff to the Superior Court or designate deputies to serve in that capacity. Bailiff duties include escorting juries to the courtroom, attending to their needs, and guarding them against outside influences. The Sheriff is charged with serving all court summonses, including subpoenas and civil process papers. In addition, the Sheriff must execute all court-ordered levies on property. 

Jail Administration: The Sheriff is the official jailer of the county and is responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of all inmates. The courts have established strict guidelines that the Sheriff must follow in the oversight of the jail.

The Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office is accredited through the Georgia Sheriff’s Association to ensure compliance with all applicable laws and standards and to maintain best practices in these three main areas of operation, as well as administration and sex offender registration.