Sheriff Ezell Brown, Community Spirit Award Winner

LEADERS

Community Spirit Award: Ezell Brown

Sheriff’s dedication to community shines bright amid pandemic

By TAYLOR BECK

tbeck@covnews.com

Bearing the title of sheriff comes with a great authority and overwhelming responsibility — something Ezell Brown has taken pride in for more than a decade.

Since he was first elected Newton County’s top constitutional officer and leading chief of law enforcement nearly 13 years ago, Brown has worked fiercely to ensure the safety and security of the community, but he’s done so through more than upholding the law. He has conducted and contributed to numerous outreach programs to keep food on the table and a roof over the head of families in need.

But giving back isn’t something Brown does as a political tactic or simply to garner attention. It’s something he feels is part of the job description.

“I look at the position as not a political position,” Brown said. “I look at it as being a steward of the community.”

This mindset is what led Brown to being recipient of The Covington News’ 2021 Community Spirit Award, an annual honor given by the newspaper to a person who exemplifies the best of Newton County over a lifetime of service; one who is associated with volunteer work, favors and gestures of good will to local residents and businesses, always putting the community first — a person who is simply upstanding and a primary example of what every citizen should strive to be.

Brown said his job as sheriff consists of much more than “playing cops and robbers.” Many days he is required to be a counselor or minister. Other days he is asked to help individuals pay a month’s rent, fill someone’s gas tank or meet a different need. And his actions are never limited to a specific group.

“I am the sheriff for all. Regardless of who they are. Regardless of their feelings toward me ... I’m still their sheriff.”

Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown, pictured far right, takes part in a local “driveby” graduation party during the COVID-19 pandemic. (Special to The News)

Brown said he’s willing to help anyone in a crisis.

“I am the sheriff for all,” Brown said. “Regardless of who they are. Regardless of their feelings toward me. Regardless of whether or not we’re in the same party affiliation. Believers or non-believers. I am the sheriff for all. And as I say many times, even those who have chose not to vote for me or support me, I’m still their sheriff.”

Brown said his inclusive attitude was brought on during his upbringing. Raised in a family with 15 brothers and sisters, the Blakely native said he learned many valuable lessons from his parents — especially concerning the treatment of others.

“My mother would always teach and would always tell me to give,” he said. “Anyone who holds their hand closed, you can’t allow anything to come into it.

“My father was a giver,” Brown continued. “He had the belief in giving ‘til it hurt. My mom was just totally different. She would say, ‘Help everyone you can, but do not allow the helper to need help.’”

Brown recalled a time when growing up when his friends — Black and white — would often share a meal at his home, saying his mother would cook and was willing to feed everybody. And many times, Brown said, that meant he and his friends would have to take a spot on the front steps because there was no more room to sit at the table inside.

“I see beyond color barriers, because that’s how we were brought up,” he said. “We were taught to love everyone.”

Years later, Brown decided to take the same approach when he went to work in law enforcement.

Before becoming sheriff, Brown worked in construction, which actually brought him to Covington. Although the job was in Atlanta, he said didn’t want to live in the metropolitan. Brown said one of his brothers lived in Newton County, so moving to Covington made sense. In 1973, Brown chose to join the Covington Police Department and worked his way up the ranks before joining the Newton County Sheriff’s Office a few years later.

Brown made his first run for sheriff in 1996 but was unsuccessful. Though he handily won the Democrat nomination, Brown suffered a close loss to Joe Nichols. Shortly after the election, Brown vowed to never run against Nichols again, so long as Nichols was doing a good job. Brown said he was glad to honor that commitment until 2008 when Nichols decided to step down as sheriff.

Brown then became the first Black man elected sheriff in the county’s history.

As he now enters his fourth term in office, Brown said he’s never considered himself a politician and only ran for sheriff because he believed he could “make a difference.”

“I’m not doing it for the money; I’m not doing it for the recognition,” he said. “I’m only doing it because I always felt I had the leadership ability to make a difference.”

Since taking office, Brown has helped continue and even create many community outreach programs to help families across the county, including CHAMPS, Explorers, the Random Act of Kindness program, the Residential Substance Abuse Treatment inmate program and various food giveaways.

When the COVID-19 pandemic took its toll on the community, Brown and the Newton County Sheriff’s Office increased its outreach efforts.

For a period of time, Brown led countless food and supply drives multiple days per week “to make sure families were able to eat, because we knew there were so many families without jobs.” Brown and his deputies have also participated in “drive-by birthday and graduation parties.”

“To be honest with you, when I first got a call about [a drive-by birthday party], I thought it was the most ridiculous thing,” Brown said. “… But we ended up taking part in several of them because we saw how much it meant to those people — from small children to even elderly people.”

While being sheriff is what Brown described as one of the “highlights of his life,” it is not easy. He said one of the most difficult aspects of the job is the negativity often voiced about his job performance and question of character. Brown said he’s been accused of many things over his career, including “incompetent,” “a thief” and “a drug dealer.”

“Those things aren’t hurtful to me,” Brown said, as he’s learned to let many things go in one ear and out the other. “But they are hurtful to my family … That’s the most hurtful piece about it. You open your family up to scrutiny. But thank God I have a family who knows me and knows I would never do anything to jeopardize my future or their future.”

Brown said he’s proud of many things that have

In 2004, the visionary Ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Chi Tau Omega Chapter became a vital part of the Newton County Community!

Looking back...we recognize that much of our community impact is attributed to Sheriff Ezell Brown and the other extraordinary leaders honored in this year's VISIONS Magazine.

Today, we are "Looking Forward " to continued partnerships that aid us in providing "Service to All Mankind."

@AKA.ChiTauOmega @aka_chitauomegachapter

been accomplished during his tenure, as he’s seen the sheriff’s office grow and expand. And when he decides to step down as sheriff — whether another four, eight or 12 years from now — Brown hopes he will be remembered by those accomplishments and generous actions.

“Being sheriff, to me, is one of the highlights of my life,” Brown said, “because I enjoy what I do.

“May the work I’ve done speak for me; may the life I live speak for me. That’s it,” he said of his legacy. “I don’t have to have my name on buildings or on pavers in the street … I just want it to be known that I was a fair person, that I was a kind a person, that I was a loving person and that I was a forgiving person.”

Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown speaks to a resident at one of the sheriff’s office’s food and supply giveaways during the pandemic. (Special to The News)

Newton County NAACP (#5224)

P.O. Box 2521 Covington, GA 30015 Phone: 770. 378.1146 Email: newtoncountynaacp@gmail.com Facebook: Newton Branch

Congratulations, Sheriff Ezell Brown!

“Looking Forward” to many, many more years of new and successful partnerships!

TheNewtonCounty NAACPhasbeenensuringthe political,educational,social,andeconomicequality ofrightsforall NewtonCounty citizensfor75Years!

Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown helps hand out turkeys during a December 2020 giveaway event. (Special to The News)