Sheriff Brown’s accomplishments include:
- Revitalized the Neighborhood Watch Program
- Implemented a Crime Watch Program (Goal is to have every community participating)
- Created an Internal Affairs Division
- Created an Office of Professional Standards Division (Policies and Standard Operating Procedures)
- Created a Community Outreach Liaison
- Initiated the C.H.A.M.P.S Program (Choosing Healthy Activities and Methods while Promoting Safety) C.H.A.M.P.S is a sequel to DARE
- Created a Drug Suppression Unit (focus on criminal acts)
- Created a Fleet Watch Program (business involvement in fighting crime, observation) 2010
- Created a Crime Suppression Unit
- Expanded the Crime Scene Investigation Unit (focus on crime trends within the county)
- Implemented 12 Hours Shifts (increase the number of deputies on the road)
- Created a Fatherhood Program
- Awarded Grant funds of over $1,901,758
- Purchased an additional K-9 dog (human tracking)
- Purchased an additional motorcycle for the traffic unit
- Developed Crime Analysis tracking (tracking of crime trends)
- Improved the Sheriff’s Office web-site (user friendly, sex offender tracking, inmate information Crime trends)
- Cross trained Deputies as Public Information Officers (keeping the public informed)
Sheriff Brown has accomplished this by using his employees’ individual talents and experiences without having to increase his personnel. Having to do more with less, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office will continue to provide the best quality service for its citizens.
Sheriff Brown has embraced his role and commitment to his community and has made tremendous progress. He has done much to lay the foundation for “improving the quality of life in our community” and has done so in a short period of time.
Sheriff Brown will continue to uphold the mission of the Sheriff’s Office and implement practices, procedures and programs that reflect our ever changing community. We now live in a multi-cultural diversified community which requires planning, training and additional resources to meet this challenge.
Sheriff Brown provides notice on new state laws
Sheriff Ezell Brown is very passionate, purposeful and profound in guaranteeing that personnel of the Sheriff’s Office, as well as the citizens of Newton County are kept abreast of laws passed by the Georgia General Assembly each year that impact their lives. July 1st, 2019 marked a new fiscal year for the State of Georgia, which meant that several new laws took effect. Sheriff Brown hereby publishes a number of those laws for the convenience of the citizens of Newton County, as well as his staff.
House Bill 62: This bill was signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp. Under this new law, medical offices that conduct mammograms are now required to allow patients to know when their results show dense breast tissue, which may require additional testing. Additionally, this bill requires the mammogram results summary to include information regarding next steps and the reason for the notification.
The law also mandates the results summary should include details regarding the next steps and the reason for notification. It was given the nickname “Margie’s Law” in recognition of Margie Singleton, a Savannah resident, who had a delayed diagnosis, possibly due to dense breast tissue. There is an excess of thirty states with this type of legislation currently in place.
Senate Bill 18: This bill allows physicians to provide health care to a patient through a direct primary care agreement, without being subject to insurance regulations. A direct primary care agreement allows a patient to directly contract with a doctor without insurance. For example, one might pay a doctor a set amount for unlimited visits per month. This is generally used for primary care visits and would not be used for emergency visits. This is an alternative to insurance for some and could potentially assist in encouraging more physicians to practice medicine, particularly in rural areas of the state.
House Bill 217 exempts syringe services programs from civil and criminal liability for possession, distribution and exchange of hypodermic syringes and needles, regardless of knowledge of its drug-related use.
House Bill 228 raises the minimum age for marriage to 17 years and limit the age difference to four years when a minor is involved. The current marriage age is 16 years.
Sheriff Brown speaks at Public Service Appreciation Day event
On June 2, 2019, Sheriff Ezell Brown was a guest speaker at Voice of Pentecost Church's Public Service Appreciation Day. After his speech, Sheriff Brown was presented with a thank you award for his years of service. Senior Pastor Gavin Moon (far left), Kasey Carter with Rockdale Fire Department, and Youth Pastor John Fogarty (far right) presented the award to Sheriff Brown.
Here is the speech Sheriff Brown gave to the audience:
Public Service Appreciation
As I pondered over our coming together this morning and tried to gather my thoughts about what I would say, I did what I always do, I went to God in prayer. However, before I could pose my question, the following thoughts entered my mind and I had a little talk with God. Through prayer, I arrived at the topic for this Public Service Appreciation program:
“A call for service commissioned by God”:
Most of our assignments are ordained by God, it’s not just by circumstance or something you chose to do to kill time. Just as members of the body have different assignments so do each of us. I would like to believe that individuals in our field are the assigned “Earthly Angels” sent out on a mission to protect those we are called upon to serve. I’m sure you are familiar with the scripture that reference…
“Service to Others"
(Hebrews 6:10)
10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
(Mark 10:45)
45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
It takes a special type of person, to choose to serve others. It takes someone who is kind, loving, caring and unselfish to make a conscience decision to give to others without grand rewards. I consider those people to be true “Earthly Angels”, helping those in need.
Many of you can also be referred to as “Earthly Angels” to all citizens, to our communities and our County in times of need.”
It’s not about financial success, but about helping those in need. Yes, get your law or medical degree, if that’s the profession you choose. However, if you should do that, ask yourself, is the only option to defend the rich and powerful, or can you also find some time in your schedule to defend the poor and the homeless!
Again, ask yourself, is the only option to heal the rich and powerful, or can you also find some time in your schedule to heal the poor and the homeless!
We must understand that public servants are called upon or dispatched to aid others in and through difficult situations.
Public servants operate in the same manner as doctors. A good parallel to this is to compare the specialties of different doctors. All doctors are “doctors”, yet they have all manner of specifics or specialties, from surgeons, to cardiologists, orthopedic doctors and so on. You may go to your primary care doctor with a heart problem and he or she may send you to a heart specialist to deal with that one specific issue because you will benefit from that doctor’s expertise in the cardiovascular system. Your primary care doctor may send you to an orthopedic doctor when you have a problem with one of your joints or bones because of that specialist’s advance knowledge in that area.
It is the same with public servants.
Law enforcement- is called upon when someone is in danger and someone is needed to intervene, or a crime has been committed and we are tasked with solving the case.
Firefighters- are called upon when everyone is running from a burning building. But, they choose to run into the building to save a life.
Dispatchers- are the first ones to receive the panicked call from someone who needs help and they are tasked with dispatching the right units to the scene.
Can you think of other individuals you expect to come to your rescue when you dial 9-1-1? Are you trying to reach a paramedic to provide emergency care?
Public servants are dispatched during the most devastating times. You are called upon during major catastrophes, loss of family members, community and national crisis.
We realize that these roles are needed because there are situations that these public servants were called to take on that no one else can handle. We deal with situations that are not normal day to day life situations for example: responding to crime scenes, chasing “bad guys”, retrieving reptiles from homes.
By doing so, those of you who walk this walk, contribute to people having a better quality of life within our communities, neighborhoods and the County as a whole. Though by choosing this career path, it will not make you a millionaire.
So, I want you to know that your role as public servants is important and appreciated in the lives others. It is imperative that you realize that your role in our community is not taken for granted.
The charge on your life is never easy and you carry a heavy burden, a burden of others’ pain and grief. Through your service you are able to help someone who needs it the most.
Each of you here today truly live by and understand the code,
“To whom much is given, much is required.” Your requirement includes great sacrifice, commitment, dedication, love for others, passion for the service and love for the God we serve.
So yes, we need you… and yes we appreciate you… and today we thank you. Thank you for being Newton County’s public servants.
Thank you to members of this church for pausing to remember our public servants.
Newton County Sheriff’s Office receives American Correctional Accreditation (ACA) Recertification
The Newton County Sheriff’s Office traveled to New Orleans, LA to attend the American Correctional Accreditation (ACA) conference to receive their recertification award. NCSO received a perfect score of 100 across the board on all 300 plus standards during the onsite audit in November 2018. Other attending agencies as well as the auditors were amazed and raved about the outstanding accomplishments of NCSO and asked if outside agency members could sit in and observe the panel Q & A on Saturday, January 12, 2018 with the Newton County Sheriff’s Office. The session is private and usually closed to the public. However, in an effort to provide valuable information to those aspiring to receive exceptional scores during the review process, the observation was made allowable. Those in attendance from Newton County were Sheriff Ezell Brown, 1st Lt. Brice Smith, Lt. Selena Williams, Yvonne McMullen and Chairman Marcello Banes. NCSO received their initial ACA certification January 2016. Concluding the session, NCSO received a standing ovation from the crowd as well as the review panel. Other agencies have requested to shadow NCSO to aid them in their upcoming ACA review process. Sheriff Ezell Brown would like to personally like to thank Chairman Banes for his attendance and support.
Quote from the Sheriff:
“This was a promise I made during the initial campaign, for the attainment and maintaining of this accreditation document to be nationally accredited. There is no “I” in teamwork and we all worked together to make this achievement possible. At first, I did not consider this to be a big deal. However, as we listened to all the different counties from around the United States ask, “how did you do it,” how did you score 100’s across the board on over 300 plus standards?” Not once was this asked, but twice. Then they requested to observe our paneling session and upon conclusion the room erupted in applause. That was an amazing site to see. However, when many agencies begin to request to shadow the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, I knew then this accomplishment is truly a “Big Deal”. Not only a “Big Deal” to me. But a “Big Deal” to the NCSO family, the community and Newton County as a whole. This is something worth achieving. On a daily basis we strive to meet the highest standards, and this award shows that we are doing a great job for the citizens of Newton County. It is an honor and privilege where jails and law enforcement services are recognized on state and national levels as a model facility. To the staff, I appreciate them believing in my leadership and following through with everything that is set before them in achieving Gold standards and at the highest-level Triple Crown status.”
NaphCare Works Alongside Newton County Detention Center and Sheriff's Department to Earn NCCHC Accreditation for Healthcare Standards
“On behalf of the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, it gives me great pleasure to acknowledge the receipt of Certification from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care. We are proud to be among law enf...orcement and correctional facilities that support efficient, high quality care for residents,” said Sheriff Brown. “Our organization welcomed the opportunity to enter into a process valuing the overall benefit of total disease management. After a self-evaluation, we engaged in the process of rewriting our policies and procedures and are happy to meet your high standards. We want to thank our health care and detention staff for helping make this certification possible.”
Newton County Sheriff's Office achieves state recertification
The Newton County Sheriff's Office has received reaccreditation from the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. The recertification was presented to Sheriff Ezell Brown by Mark Bender, director of state certification, at the Newton County Board of Commissioners meeting last week. A special plaque was also presented to Sgt. Cortney Morrison for her work as the NCSO state certification manager. Bender said the certification manager is responsible for compiling all documentation and overseeing the arduous process of meeting certification standards.
Newton County Sheriff's Office receives international accreditation for policies and practices
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) has presented the Newton County Sheriff's Office with its official international accreditation. The designation represents a monumental professional achievement and it also confirms that the NCSO has policies and practices that are consistent with progressive professional international standards.
The CALEA Accreditation award is valid for four years, and the agency is required to maintain continuous compliance during the award period. An assessment is conducted annually to ensure compliance is being maintained.
The accreditation process includes an on-site standards compliance assessment of the agency. The Sheriff's Office welcomed CALEA on Nov. 28-30, 2016 to conduct the assessment. In the months after the audit was completed, a final assessment report was created.
During the assessors' visit, Chief David Moen of the Auburn Police Department in Maine and Capt. Norman Mann of the St. Louis County Police Department in Missouri toured and assessed the facility through audits, reviews, hearings and evaluations to ensure the agency was in compliance with the internationally established standards. Verification by the assessment team is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation.
The assessors noted on multiple occasions that the NCSO had three years to prepare for the on-site assessment; however, the department successfully completed it in under a year and had zero non-compliance issues with the standards.
In conjunction with CALEA accreditation, the NCSO also holds Georgia State Certification, National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) accreditation, and American Correction Association (ACA) accreditation. These accreditations/certifications make NCSO eligible for the prestigious National Sheriff's Association Triple Crown Award.
Newton County Sheriff's Office receives Triple Crown Award
The Newton County Sheriff's Office traveled to the National Sheriff's Association conference in Reno, Nev., and received the National Sheriff's Association Triple Crown Award on June 26. This prestigious award was achieved as a result of the Newton County Sheriff's Office simultaneously receiving the following accreditations: Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), and American Correction Association (ACA).
