Candidate Wants To Use Expertise To Serve Neighbors

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A metro Atlanta police chief is looking to serve the public in the county he calls home.

James “Chip” McCarthy, Fairburn’s police chief, recently held an event to kick off his bid to succeed Roger Garrison as Cherokee County sheriff.

McCarthy was joined earlier this month by dozens of friends, family and supporters of his campaign at the Twin Creeks Softball Complex in Woodstock where they were served barbecue, music and soft drinks.

McCarthy is one of four candidates in the race for the Republican nomination in the 2016 primary. Other declared candidates include Frank Reynolds, a captain with the Pickens County Sheriff’s Office; Jeff Donley, a retired financial crimes investigator with the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office; and David Waters, who challenged Garrison four years ago for the Republican nomination.

McCarthy, who has lived in Woodstock since 1987, said he would not have considered running if Garrison had decided to seek another term as sheriff. After he won re-election to a sixth term in 2012, Garrison declared the race would be his last.

With more than 30 years in law enforcement under his belt, McCarthy said he believes he has the experience Cherokee County needs as it transition from a mostly suburban/rural area to an urban/suburban/rural combination.

It’s the same transition he witnessed as he served with the Fulton County Police Department from the 1980’s to the mid 2000’s and that change, McCarthy noted, can contribute to some of the problems that accompany an increase in population.

“I think I have the expertise and the ability to deal with that,” he said.

As part of his platform, McCarthy said he’d like to see sheriff’s deputies spend more time outside of their vehicles and engaging on a more direct basis with residents as well as children.

That, he added, would lead to residents forming relationships with deputies tasked with patrolling their neighborhoods.

Additionally, he also said he’d like to see the sheriff’s office consider forging relationships with various businesses and religious institutions, a move he said could build a “community policing culture” throughout the county.

While those men and women are out pounding the pavement in an effort to protect the community, McCarthy stated he also wants to “make sure the deputies are properly taken care of.”

That means addressing issues such as pay, take-home vehicles and tackling other concerns that will lead to “well-paid” deputies and employees working in an “effective and efficient” organization.

Originally from South Carolina, McCarthy has served as police chief of Fairburn since 2007, overseeing department with 41 sworn officers and a $26 million budget. Before that, he served with the Fulton County Police Department from 1981 to 2007. Before going to the county, he served for two years with the Atlanta Police Department.

He graduated from Georgia Tech in 1979 with a mechanical engineering degree. He received a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2002 from Mercer University and a master’s degree in public administration in 2010 from Columbus State University’s Command College.

McCarthy is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police Metropol, FBI National Academy Associates and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association.

McCarthy and his wife have two adult children and a 13-year-old. The family attends St. Andrew United Methodist Church in East Cobb.

The chief noted he’s held positions in every level of law enforcement, including patrolman, criminal investigation, internal affairs, management, traffic division, administration and background checks, just to name a few.

That diverse lineup of expertise, he added, should convince voters that he’s the man for the job to serve Cherokee County’s rapidly growing population.

“I have done everything there is in law enforcement,” he said.

You can learn more about Chip McCarthy by visiting his website or Facebook page.

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Photo credit: Facebook