Public safety groups talk future as community grows By TAYLOR BECK tbeck@covnews.com
As Newton County grows, so too does the weight of local public safety officials’ duty to protect and serve the community. Growth is nothing new to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office. From 2004 to 2020, Newton County’s population has dramatically increased from approximately 72,000 residents to more than 112,000 residents — an addition of nearly 40,000 people. But in the same period of time, the Newton County Sheriff’s Office has adapted to ensure all residents are able to be protected and served. Only 143 people were em-
ployed by the Sheriff’s Office in 2004. Today, the law enforcement agency has exceeded 300 employees. In addition, a 10,000-squarefoot expansion project was recently completed at the sheriff’s office headquarters just off Alcovy Road. The Sheriff’s Office also has two precincts — one on the west side and another on the south side that will open in the near future, Brown said. Brown said the agency has partnered with the Georgia FFA-FCCLA Center, located at 720 FFA FHA Camp Rd. in Covington, to open a precinct there, which “will increase law enforce-
ment presence” in the southern portion of the county. However, the south precinct would not be open to the public. He said the precinct would only serve as a safe location for deputies to write reports, follow-up with other deputies on calls for service and meet with investigators to discuss active cases. As the county continues to grow, Brown said his office would face any challenges that may arise like any others — head on. “Law enforcement across the nation is changing rapidly, every day, and my deputies are faced with daily challenges,” Brown said. “We always and will contin-
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