NCSO April/May 2022 newsletter
A MOMENT WITH A TIME TO LIVE AND REJOICE World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on the 7th day of April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as other related organizations. You might be asking yourselves: why is World Health Day celebrated? It is celebrated because it marks the anniversary of the founding of the World Health Organization, established in 1948. Each year, World Health Day is observed to attract public attention towards a specific health related topic. The theme of World Health Day 2022 was “Our Planet, Our Health.” In the midst of the current global pandemic, a polluted planet, increasing diseases, such as cancer, asthma, and heart disease, on World Health Day 2022, WHO concentrated global attention relevant to urgent actions necessary to keep humans and the planet healthy and fostered a movement to create societies concentrated on well-being. The World Health Organization estimates that an excess of 13 million deaths globally each year, are due to avoidable environmental causes. This includes the climate crisis, which is the single largest health threat to humanity. The climate crisis is also a health crisis. Speaking of health, April is also National Stress Awareness Month. The objective of National Stress Aware Month is to raise awareness regarding the negative impact of stress. Although no single definition currently exists for stress, the most common explanation is physical, mental, or emotional strain or tension. Stress is a psychological and physical response by your body to anything that is perceived as a threat or a challenge. Stress tremedously affects persons employed in the law enforcement profession. When one experiences stress, his or her body performs like an alarm system. It produces hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol, that deliver a burst of additional energy. This helps the person get through temporary periods of stress until he or she can relax. What Causes Stress in Law Enforcement? According to the National Institute of Justice, the most common causes of stress in law enforcement officers include:
• • • •
Poor Management Inadequate or Broken Equipment, often due to a lack of funds Excessive overtime, both voluntary and involuntary Frequent rotating shifts, often due to diminished staffing
Regular changes in duties; for example, spending time on a call pertaining to animal cruelty and next, intervening in a violent domestic dispute. Other stressors for officers may include: • • • • • • • •
Low salary. Depending on the area; this can lead to a necessity for voluntary overtime Perceived lack of support and/or negative attitudes towards Law Enforcement Threats to officers’ health and safety Boredom, possibly from working in an agency with limited options outside of patrol Need for sudden alertness and mobilized energy Responsibility for the lives of others Continual exposure to people in distress/pain Controlling emotions, especially when provoked
The same is true for corrections officers, the men and women who are employed in detention centers, often with hundreds or thousands of convicted offenders, who do not desire to be there. Corrections officers work in confined societies that are, by definition, dangerous. The stress levels are so high that, in one study, 27% of officers reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Allow me to say that at some point, everyone feels stressed. But for law enforcement officers, who are in positions of authority and constantly making life and death decisions, stress can have a major negative impact on their lives. One of the leading problems for law enforcement officers is that stress can go unrecognized and unacknowledged. Officers are under constant stress and do not take the time to seek treatment. Many times, they deny the stress they are experiencing for fear of being viewed as weak or not being able to handle their job responsibilities.
SHERIFF BROWN American Military University faculty members Mark Bond, Matt Loux, and Dr. Shana Nicholson have written several articles concerning how law enforcement officers can reduce stress specific to police work. Some of the suggestions are as follows: Please seriously consider employing them for your well-being. • • • • • • • • •
Plan meals and make healthy eating choices Cease consuming high-calorie fast foods Schedule vacations and personal downtime Visit your personal physician regularly for checkups Share the workload and reduce the amount of overtime you engage in Live within your financial means so that “moonlighting” on a second job is not necessary Create a realistic exercise program and forming healthy habits in order to acquire regular exercise Create a “Patrol Buddy” program and make time to check on each other Maintain your civilian friends in order to assist you in getting away from the job. If you socialize with police friends, make a point not to talk about work in your downtime together.
Additional events I want to highlight that are close to my heart, occur in the month of May, and they are Memorial Day and Law enforcement Memorial Week. Memorial Day is a time to honor and recognize the sacrifices made by those who have died to protect our freedom. It is crucial to always remember these brave heroes by taking care of the approximate 25,000 children who have been left behind over the last 35 years. National Police Week is a collaborative effort of many organizations dedicated to honoring America’s law enforcement community.
Sheriff Ezell Brown
Newton County, Georgia
In 1962, President Kennedy proclaimed May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the calendar week in which May 15 falls, as National Police Week. Established by a joint resolution of Congress in 1962, National Police Week pays special recognition to those law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for the safety and protection of others. This year, National Police Week was commemorated with live, in-person events. National Police Week was observed from May 11–17. The National Law Enforcement Memorial and Museum held ceremonies, including the 34th Annual Candlelight Vigil, to honor the fallen officers whose names have recently been added to the Memorial. The 34th Annual Candlelight Vigil was held on Friday, May 13th. In May, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office dispatched its dynamic Honor Guard to Washington DC. to participate in this year’s National Police Week Observances. Allow me to close this message by saying to every Law Enforcement Officer, especially those members of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, I am thankful for you and please know that I am always praying for you.
about the agency The goal of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office is “to be recognized as the kind of professional organization that values, respects, and honors the rights and dignity of the entire community. Through an abundance of collaborative efforts, the NCSO is committed to improving life in every aspect for its citizens, businesses, schools, colleges/universities and visitors.” The Newton County Sheriff's Office is located at 15151 Alcovy Road in Covington, Georgia. From I-20, take Exit 92 onto Alcovy Road and travel north on Alcovy Road for approximately one mile and cross over Highway 142. The Sheriff's Office will be on the left. The administrative office hours for the Newton County Sheriff's Office are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding county holidays. The Newton County Jail is open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
agency ’ s contact numbers GENERAL INFORMATION SHERIFF’S SECRETARY JAIL INFORMATION JAIL FAX INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATION FAX PATROL UNIT TRAFFIC UNIT WARRANT UNIT WEST SIDE PRECINCT EAST SIDE PRECINCT TIP LINE
678-625-1403 678-625-1401 678-625-1420 678-625-1450 678-625-1412 678-625-1451 678-625-1410 678-625-1469 678-625-1411 770-788-7812 770-243-8227 678-625-5007
Scan the QR code to download our app today! @newtonsheriffga
sheriff announces new smartphone app Sheriff Ezell Brown is excited to announce the release of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office’s new custom smartphone application. This app will serve as a new and innovative way for the Sheriff’s Office to connect with Newton County residents and visitors, providing information quickly and efficiently to anyone with a smartphone. “The Newton County Sheriff’s Office’s smartphone application will allow us to provide accurate and timely information to the public relating to road closures, incidents, missing persons, and much more,” said Sheriff Brown. “Previously, our agency has been primarily sending notifications to the public through social media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Nextdoor, but sometimes, important notifications can get lost or not even be seen to begin with. With the app, the user will receive an alert through their phone within seconds of a notification being posted. It’s a direct line of communication between the Sheriff’s Office and the public.” The Newton County Sheriff’s Office app was developed by TheSheriffApp.com, a division of OCV, LLC, which specializes in mobile app development for sheriff’s offices and public safety organizations across the country. The app offers quick access to items of
public interest and is easy to use. In just a few clicks, users can access features such as: • From the Sheriff’s Desk • BOLO • Sex Offenders • Jail Info • Inmate Search • Join Our Team • Submit a Tip • Contact Us • More! “Over 80 percent of people in the United States own and use smartphones as their primary means of communication,” said OCV Vice President Kevin Cummings. “Mobile apps offer agencies a better way to alert, inform and prepare the public. Apps allow public safety agencies the ability to reach and serve their citizens where they are: their smartphones.” The Newton County Sheriff’s Office app now is available for free download in the App Store and Google Play by searching “Newton County Sheriff’s Office, GA.”
nine inmate residents graduate from #1 dads On April 1, 2022, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office graduated nine inmate residents from its ACTION, Inc.’s Fatherhood Program, #1 Dads. #1 Dads, a jail-based program, is designed to strengthen, establish, or reestablish relationships between an adult father and his children, or a father and his spouse/partner and their children. The program promotes responsible fatherhood, healthy marriage, and economic stability through the provision of worship, case management, and job skills training. “I congratulate each and every one of our fathers who graduated from our first #1 Dads program,” said Sheriff Ezell Brown. “Also, I thank all those who provided support and encouragement to these fathers during the last six weeks.” The #1 Dads program assists fathers incarcerated in the criminal justice system with ACTION, Inc’s 12-county service area across North Georgia. To learn more about the #1 Dads program, visit https://actionathens.org.
ncso graduates first women’s welding class
The Newton County Sheriff’s Office, with its continual partnership with Action, Inc., graduated its first class from the Women’s Welding Training Program, a first of its kind for a county-level detention facility in the State of Georgia, on April 29, 2022. “There are no known county-level detention facilities in the State of Georgia, and to the best of our knowledge, there are no nationally county-level detention center facilities teaching a welders class to female inmates,” said Sheriff Ezell Brown. “The Office of the Sheriff stands firm on the belief of rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is the key to success for individuals returning to society as productive citizens, not just to themselves but to their families, friends, and communities.” Female inmates are provided the opportunity to participate in the American Welding Society’s Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS) Sheet Metal tests through the Women’s Welding Training Program. The WPS Sheet Metal tests are administered by an AWS Certified Welding Inspector (CWI) and graded on the following: a visual inspection of the welding coupon; and a “bend test,” which tests the integrity of the welded coupon. The NCSO’s Women’s Welding Training Program began on April 18, 2022, and female inmate students were in scheduled courses from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Students received 80 hours of training. The AWS testing were conducted at the NCSO on April 29, 2022. The female inmates graduating from the NCSO’s Women’s Welding Training Program have already been offered jobs upon release from the detention facility through the NCSO’s Workforce Development Office. The starting pay rate for the field of welding begins at $18-22/hour, and there are no caps on the pay welders can receive for their work.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
On May 2, 2022, Sheriff Ezell Brown and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office received a donation of Girl Scout Cookies from Abbey Hospice, located in Social Circle, Georgia. Thank you for your generous donation!
On May 12, 2022, Sheriff Ezell Brown and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office received a donation of stuffed animals from the City of Covington’s 2022 Management Development Class. The drive collected more than 200 stuffed animals to provide comfort to children in crisis. Thank you for your generous donation!
deputies participate in livingston’s career day
On May 13, 2022, Deputies Michael Gregg, Tim Smith, and Ezekiel Walker attended the Livingston Elementary School’s Career Day, where they spoke about their jobs at the Newton County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies Gregg, Smith, and Walker gave a presentation to more than a dozen students detailing their daily tasks at the Sheriff’s Office, including their duties for the Uniform Patrol Division, K-9 Unit, Community Outreach, and C.H.A.M.P.S. At the end of the presentation, the deputies provided each student with a junior deputy badge.
WELCOME new employees Quintarious Cooper Detention
Malcolm Marshall Detention
Chester Jenkins Detention
Charles Simmons Detention
Michelle Wise Detention
Yolanda Brown Crystal Cintron Deputy Sheriff, Recruit Deputy Sheriff, Recruit
Sheriff Ezell Brown and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office welcome you!
COMMITMENT loyalty sacrifice dedication www.newtonsheriffga.org