THERE'S A NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN

There's a NEW SHERIFF

in Town

JEFFREY BREWER –THE FIRST NEW SHERIFF IN EMANUEL COUNTY IN THREE DECADES

STORY BY K.T. MCKEE | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY JEFFREY BREWER

It’d been 36 years since Emanuel County had a new sheriff in Swainsboro and it didn’t seem to surprise anyone that voters overwhelmingly chose longtime lawman Jeffrey L. Brewer in November of 2020 to take retiring Sheriff J. Tyson Stephens’ seat January 1 of 2021.

“I worked for [the late Sheriff Stephens] the last six years,” said Brewer, who’d retired from Georgia State Patrol as a lieutenant in 2014 after 32 years of service. “I served in every capacity within the Sheriff’s Office except investigations. The last two years, I was the Jail Administrator. Working with the Sheriff’s Office prior to my election as Sheriff enabled me to assume office without a learning curve. From day one, I hit the ground running.”

Stephens had run unopposed in prior elections. He died September 2, 2021 – eight months after his Dec. 31, 2020, retirement.

Brewer said he was motivated to run for sheriff because he felt the county was in desperate need of strong leadership.

“There is a drug and gang problem that has not been dealt with,” he explained. “The Sheriff’s Office needed to be brought into modern times, computers in vehicles, body cameras, ballistic vests and more. The deputies needed to be allowed the latitude to do their jobs. I have extensive leadership and law enforcement experience and truly felt I was the person to accomplish these goals.”

Since taking office, Brewer has worked non-stop to fulfill his campaign promises.

“I have met many of my objectives within the first year,” the father of four said. “I have a servant’s heart. I want to empower my coworkers with what they need to do their job, which has become very difficult in this day and time.”

One of his first appointments was a drug/gang investigator, he said, adding he sent him to training to equip him to perform his duties without hesitation. He also hired a deputy to oversee the sex offender registry in Emanuel County and had all full-time deputies attend an “active shooter” course taught at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth.

“We have an investigator designated to investigate cybercrimes,” he continued. “This investigator is also a member of the GBI’s Child Pornography Task Force. We have gone from two Mobile Data Terminals in our vehicles to sixteen.”

Each deputy now wears a body camera, he said, explaining that with the decrease in response from the Georgia State Patrol, his department has increased from two to four traffic units to handle the majority of traffic issues within the county.

He also started a GED program at the jail for inmates. “This opens doors for successful graduates of this program,” he said. “I plan to continue the quest to eliminate drug and gang activity, providing for a safer place to live for our citizens.”

One of Brewer’s greatest challenges is being able to hire enough deputies to enable him to meet all his goals. “In the current environment, there is little interest in working in law enforcement,” he said, adding that it's unfortunate because he believes it’s “a very rewarding career.”

He seemed to blame the media for this misconception. “The media is quick to promote the minute percentage of bad law enforcement officers, but overlook the majority that do their jobs and do it well.”

He does feel, however, that in the era of “defunding the police” in many metropolitan cities, he’s grateful his community is supportive of local law enforcement.

“I believe the citizens of this great county support law enforcement and I am very grateful for that!,” he quipped. “The Sheriff’s Office has a good relationship with the citizens. We are available to serve. We attend and participate in many county functions, providing opportunities to remain positively engaged with citizens.”

The 1977 Twin City ECI graduate said that while the goal of the Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office is to give a person in need a hand up, they also want to hold individuals accountable for their actions as the circumstances call for. “We are here to serve our great community, but also here to ensure we have the safest place possible for our great citizens.”

Brewer’s ability to keep moving forward began even before graduating from high school, working at various businesses in Swainsboro before “hanging iron” for a year at EmCo Metal Products in Twin City after graduation and managing to complete the Emergency Medical Technician course in the evenings at Swainsboro Technical School.

He worked in the EMS field in Laurens and Jefferson counties before moving to Decatur in 1979 to attend DeKalb Community College to complete the Paramedic Program. When he returned to Emanuel County EMS, he became the third paramedic in the county.

In 1982, he was employed with the GSP as a radio operator before being promoted to Trooper in 1984 and completing the 60th Trooper School.

After retiring from GSP in 2014, he began working with the Emanuel County Sheriff’s Office and was appointed Captain, overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Administrative Office and serving as supervisor of Courthouse/Courtroom Security and the Uniform Patrol Division.

He and his wife Connie have been married for more than 30 years and have been blessed with five grandchildren.

Jeffrey & Connie Brewer

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