Divisions

The Sheriff's Office is made up of 10 divisions with several specialized teams commanded by dedicated and highly-skilled personnel with years of experience in law enforcement.

The Criminal Investigations Task Force (CITF) is responsible for investigating all crimes in Wayne County including Homicide, Rapes, Robberies and Burglaries. CITF personnel also handle crime scene processing, photography, and forensic evidence gathering and handling. Investigators in this division apprehend offenders, recover stolen property, prepare cases for court, handle out of state extraditions and present evidence and testify in court cases. Detectives are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week on a rotational basis, to respond to emergency investigative needs but are normally available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

The most visible of our divisions is Road Patrol, the public face of our office. This division operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and its deputies are the first responders to accidents and crimes. These deputies provide emergency response in life threatening situations and non-emergency assistance to a variety of criminal, traffic, medical and civil matters as well as natural disasters.

The Civil Division serves civil process papers received from the Courts of Wayne County, as well as other jurisdictions. In addition to process service, the Civil Division executes court orders including evictions, Writs of Possession to seize personal property and Probate Orders to Apprehend and collect on judgments issued by the courts. The division also seizes and auctions both personal and real property when a defendant fails to voluntarily pay a judgment.

The Sex Offender Registry Division performs several duties involving registered sex offenders and sexual predators living and working in Wayne County. People convicted of certain crimes are required to register with the Sheriff's Office of the county in which they reside or are employed. This division ensures that any known sex offender living or working in the county registers with the Sheriff's Office within the allotted time frame required by Georgia law. The division also checks residences and employment locations of the sex offenders to ensure they are in compliance with Georgia law.

The Jails Division operates the county jail. The Jail Division staff serves the courts, other law enforcement agencies, inmates, the families of inmates and crime victims. These men and women provide for the safe, secure and constitutional confinement of individuals committed to custody, either to await trial or upon sentencing of the court, and ensure that all inmates are treated impartially and in accordance with the laws of the United States and the State of Georgia.

The Court Security Division provides security for Superior, State, Domestic and Juvenile courts, as well as all full- and part-time judges and their staffs. Deputies are stationed inside each courtroom whenever a court is in session. These deputies are committed to protecting the judges, court staff, lawyers and their clients and people in the courtroom. Their mission is to prevent loss of life and protecting county property.

The E-911 Division operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The E-911 Division handles communications for the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, all law enforcement municipalities within the county, City and County Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services. The Communication Officers are trained to assist callers with their requests for law enforcement, fire and medical assistance. These operators are certified in Basic Communications through Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training, CPR, Georgia Crime Information Center, National Incident Management System, a rigorous in-house training program in our E-911 Center and continuing education as required/needed.

The Special Response Team's specially trained personnel provide tactical response to hostage situations, barricaded persons, sniper and terrorism incidents, crowd control during major disturbances or riots, work or school place violence and high-risk search warrant entries for various investigations including Homicide, Robbery, Narcotics and Domestic Violence. They also support patrol by responding to high-risk calls for service. While the goal of every Law Enforcement Officer is to save lives and de-escalate the potential for violence, there are times when a violent suspect must be prevented from killing innocent victims or bystanders. SRT marksmen are highly trained and disciplined to make precision rifle shots at several hundred yards away. The team also utilizes 'less lethal' weapons such as the Taser, less lethal ammunition and various chemical agents, all employed to prevent the use of police firearms.

The K-9 Division is comprised of two canine teams. Each team consists of a Deputy and a canine partner. The Sheriff’s Office utilizes the Labrador breed for all of its canines. These trained police service dogs help field units locate illegal drugs, apprehend fleeing felons and find lost/missing persons. Dogs are trained in narcotics and patrol. Each dog has proven on numerous occasions to be an asset to this office and the community as a whole. Dogs and their handlers must constantly train to maintain their high performance standards. The K-9 Division is one of the most visible divisions at the Sheriff’s Office. K-9 Deputies speak at schools, churches, Boy Scout/Cub Scout groups, as well as other community events. Deputies with the K-9 Division strive to teach children about the Sheriff’s Office, the canines, as well as numerous other aspects of law enforcement.

The Wayne County Drug Task Force is a county division whose purpose is to investigate and apprehend illegal drug users and dealers. The agents actively investigate and target the street level to upper level violator, to include major organizations that affect crime in Wayne County. These agents purchase illegal drugs undercover, conduct long term investigations, handle vice operations and serve drug related search warrants. The uniform officers are responsible for crime suppression and criminal interdiction. The Task Force works closely with federal, state, and local agencies in an effort to efficiently combat illegal activity in Jesup and Wayne County. These deputies also work closely with the Department of Family and Children Services (DFACS) and other government agencies to help provide drug-endangered children a safer environment.