Deputy Travis Clark,

  On Wednesday, September 10, 2014 a family was spending time near the Augusta Canal.  Parents were enjoying time with their 12 and 13 year old daughters.  While wading in the canal, one of the girls began to struggle and then went under.  She did not re-surface and her 13 year sister tried to help but was unable to get to her. The girls’ father summoned help from a nearby off duty officer who called for assistance.  Deputies William McClure, Ryan Jones, Travis Clark, and Cpl. Charles Norton all responded immediately to the scene and without hesitation removed their gun belts and entered the water in a feverish attempt to locate the young girl. After several minutes Deputy Travis Clark located the girl in about 8 feet of water and brought her to the surface where Dep. William McClure took her and rushed her to waiting medical personnel where life saving measures could be started. The young lady was transported to the Georgia Regents Medical Center and her condition was dire.  It’s unfortunate that the victim succumbed to her injuries the next day.  The actions and motivation of these deputies were ultimately to save the young girls life by risking their own. Without the actions of these deputies, the child may not have survived until medical support arrived. These deputies went above their duty as road patrol officers by going to the aid of another without hesitation to assist a citizen in distress.

Deputy Dennis West

  On September 4, 2014 Deputy Jason Cunningham was dispatched to a burglary that had just occurred at 436 Pleasant Home Road.  Dispatch put out a description of the suspect over the radio.  Deputy Cunningham was advised by Deputy Dennis West of a possible suspect riding a bicycle matching the description of the one stolen, traveling on the 3600 block of Walton Way Extension.  Deputy Cunningham, along with Deputy West, performed an investigatory stop, and determined that the subject was in fact the burglary suspect.  The suspect was taken into custody and the stolen property was recovered on the scene.  The quick response and actions of Deputy Cunningham  and Deputy West led to the arrest of the suspect and recovery of the stolen property. The efforts of these deputies are to be commended and their actions are appreciated by this office and all of Richmond County.

Deputy Jason Cunningham,

  On September 4, 2014 Deputy Jason Cunningham was dispatched to a burglary that had just occurred at 436 Pleasant Home Road.  Dispatch put out a description of the suspect over the radio.  Deputy Cunningham was advised by Deputy Dennis West of a possible suspect riding a bicycle matching the description of the one stolen, traveling on the 3600 block of Walton Way Extension.  Deputy Cunningham, along with Deputy West, performed an investigatory stop, and determined that the subject was in fact the burglary suspect.  The suspect was taken into custody and the stolen property was recovered on the scene.  The quick response and actions of Deputy Cunningham  and Deputy West led to the arrest of the suspect and recovery of the stolen property. The efforts of these deputies are to be commended and their actions are appreciated by this office and all of Richmond County.

Deputy Stephen Jones

  On September 2, 2014 at 1143 hours, deputies responded to a burglary in progress at 210 Chatham Rd. A description was given by dispatch of a Gray Dodge Caravan as being the suspect vehicle. Deputy David Whelchel spotted the vehicle and followed it until Deputy Brian Strickland arrived. Deputy Strickland attempted to stop the Caravan but it fled to Warren Rd. where the suspects fled on foot. Deputy Strickland and Whelchel gave chase. Deputy Strickland, at great risk, chased the suspects across I-20. Deputy Jacob Green had responded to the area and joined in the foot pursuit. The suspects split up and one was captured in a field on Skinner Mill Rd. near Crossbridge Baptist Church by Deputy Stephen Jones and Sgt. Tommy Usry. The second suspect was located in a closet in an apartment at 3188 Skinner Mill Rd. that belonged to his sister. All property taken in the burglary was returned to the owner. There was no injury or property damage in the incident. The actions of these deputies are to be commended for their quick response and relentless pursuit of these subjects which resulted in the prompt and efficient arrest of 2 burglary suspects.  The actions of these deputies have helped to make Augusta-Richmond County safer for our citizens and these arrests will assist with the clearance of other cases in the area.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office would like to thank Mary Wells for 25 years of distinguished service to this agency and the citizens of Richmond County.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office would like to thank Cpl. Jason Turner for 10 years of distinguished service to this agency and the citizens of Richmond County.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office would like to thank Deputy William Michau for 10 years of distinguished service to this agency and the citizens of Richmond County.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office would like to thank Lt. Henery Baldowski for 10 years of distinguished service to this agency and the citizens of Richmond County.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office would like to thank Deputy Michelle Thomas for 5 years of distinguished service to this agency and the citizens of Richmond County.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office would like to thank Deputy Howard Storey for 5 years of distinguished service to this agency and the citizens of Richmond County.