Forsyth County Sheriff's Office

FYI, if you hear helicopters flying around the lake today, not to worry. The 5th Ranger Training Battalion will be conducting their annual Water Jump from War Hill Park into Lake Lanier. The Water Jump is an airborne operation where soldiers from the 5th Ranger Training Battalion parachute from Georgia Army National Guard Helicopters and land in Lake Lanier. This training enhances the morale of the unit, builds soldiers' proficiency in airborne operations, and develops law enforcement and emergency medical service inter-agency capability.

***Roadway is back open**** Hwy 400 South Bound, south of Majors Road, the two left lanes are blocked due to a multi car accident. Please avoid the area or expect long delays. #StaySafeForsyth

FCSO Deputy seized more than a POUND of Methamphetamine during traffic stop Last week a FCSO deputy initiated a traffic stop in North Forsyth for suspended vehicle registration. Suspicion of drugs led to a search where the deputy found a digital scale, numerous plastic baggies, a grocery store receipt wrapped around approximately one gram of methamphetamine, and a package containing one pound of methamphetamine inside a backpack located the back seat. The rear seat passenger... of the vehicle, Todd Mooney, 38 years old of Dawson County, was charged with Trafficking Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Related Objects. Mr. Mooney is currently held in the Forsyth County Jail without bond. #FCSO #OnThisEpisodeOfYouMethedUp #KeepingForsythSafe #NotInForsyth #WereNotMethinAround #DontDoDrugs #MethBuster

Looks like we're in for more rain later this afternoon and evening... If you're out and about in the rain please remember to SLOW DOWN and turn ON your headlights. #StaySafeForsyth #SlowDownYouWill #IAmYourRadar #MayThe4thBeWithYou

Class 12 is thriving and almost ready to find their forever homes! If you haven't already, check out our Pups with Purpose page and give them a .

Good morning FoCo! This week's #FlagsAroundForsyth was spotted on GA 400 in North Forsyth. We hope you have an awesome first week of May and #StaySafeForsyth!

#GetToKnowFCSO - Meet Deputy First Class Escolano and his partner, K9 Ivo, who have been working together since 2018. DFC Escolano played with the Chicago White Sox organization for a few years after high school before enrolling in and completing college with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biology. He joined the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office in 2015 and is currently one of three K9 teams on the FCSO Crime Reduction Unit. When he is not working, DFC Escolano loves watchin...g and playing sports. K9 Ivo is a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd/Dutch Shepherd hybrid. K9 Ivo is a full-service patrol dog and holds certifications in narcotics detection, tracking/trailing, article searches, and handler protection. K9 Ivo is responsible for successfully assisting in multiple arrests, numerous tracks, and several illegal narcotics investigations. K9 Ivo is FCSO’s biggest K9 and has an enormously goofy personality to match. His two favorite things to do when not working are playing tug-of-war and getting tons of belly scratches. K9 Ivo’s words of wisdom: Always chase your dreams instead of running from your fears. #MeetTheTeam #K9Unit #K9Ivo #FCSO #HappyEarlyValentinesDay #ThereIsAMrsEscolano

1:30 Update - The roadway has been reopened. Vehicle crash 400 Southbound near Majors Road. One lane blocked. Expect delays. #StaySafeForsyth

This past Saturday our FCSO Volunteer Unit presented Sheriff Freeman with a commemorative style check made out to the Citizens of Forsyth County, which represents the total amount our incredible volunteers saved the taxpayers of Forsyth County during the 2020 calendar year. During the 2020 calendar year, the Volunteer Unit worked a total of 12,664 hours; of those 4,446 hours were spent assisting Uniform Patrol and 1,580 hours were spent assisting at 37 individual COVID testi...ng sites. The total number of hours worked is equivalent to just over 6 full-time employees and a combined savings of $414,015 to the citizens of Forsyth County. To all of our amazing FCSO Volunteers, including CERT, ARES, CHIP, Explorers, and FCSO Reserve Deputies, we cannot thank you enough for all of your donated time and hard work! You are a true inspiration to us all. #FCSOstrong #FCSOvolunteers

Class 11 pups are ready to find their new furever homes!

Update - The crash has cleared, however, there are bricks on the roadway between exits 15 and 14. These are not related to the crash. Crash on 400 northbound before exit 14 has left lane blocked. Expect delays. #StaySafeForsyth

Here's a look at some of our January 2021 stats compared to January 2020. #FCSOwrapup

On December 31, 2020, at approximately 1:50 a.m., Sgt. Francis observed a white Cadillac run a traffic light at Samples Road and State Route 20. Sgt. Francis attempted to conduct a traffic stop, however, the vehicle fled and a pursuit ensued. Sgt. Francis was able to perform a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver to successfully end the pursuit. During the field investigation, it was learned that the driver, identified as 44-year-old Charles Green, had recently ...used methamphetamine. Near the location of the stop and in close proximity to the Cadillac, a bag of methamphetamine and a pipe were found. During the search of the vehicle, deputies located a sawed-off shotgun, a single shot shotgun, several syringes that appeared to be filled with controlled substances, and a digital scale. The passenger of the vehicle, identified as 51-year-old Ronda Passmore, was found to be a convicted felon. Both were transported to the Forsyth County Jail and charged with the following: Charles Green (Pendergrass, GA) held on $62,645 Bond DUI Drugs Possession of Methamphetamine Possession of Drug Related Objects Possession of a Sawed Off Shotgun Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony Tampering with Evidence Felony fleeing and Attempting to Elude Reckless Driving Disobeying a Traffic Control Device Unregistered Vehicle No Insurance Ronda Passmore (Buford, GA) held without Bond Possession of Methamphetamine Possession of Drug Related Objects Tampering with Evidence Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon Felony Probation Violation #NotInForsyth #weseeyou #thatsnotacandycane #yourunwechase #whereyagoin #stopmethinaround #DontLitterKeepForsythBeautiful #NotMyDrugs #atleastthebadguysusetheirblinkers #ImethedUpThisTime #whereyagoin #whatchagonnadowhenwecomeforyou #longhashtagsrule #doesanyoneevenreadthese #FCSO #pursuit #StaySafeForsyth

Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office K9s Ivo, Buzz and Hummer have received donation of body armor Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office K9s Ivo, Buzz and Hummer have received bullet and stab protective vests thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Ivo’s vest was sponsored by Robin and Andy Chu of Boxford, MA and embroidered with the sentiment Born to Love-Trained to Serve- Loyal Always. K9 Buzz’s vest was sponsored by Leah A. Beal...e of Oklahoma City, OK and embroidered with the sentiment In memory of K9 Kye, Oklahoma City. K9 Hummer’s vest was embroidered with the sentiment Born to Love-Trained to Serve- Loyal Always. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., established in 2009, is a 501(c)(3) charity whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. This potentially lifesaving body armor for four-legged K9 officers is U.S. made, custom fitted, and NIJ certified. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. has provided over 4,101 vests to K9s in all 50 states at a value of $6.9 million, made possible by both private and corporate donations. The program is open to U.S. dogs that are at least 20 months old and actively employed and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. K9s with expired vests are also eligible to participate. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. accepts tax-deductible contributions in any amount, while a single donation of $960 will sponsor one vest. Each vest has a value of $1,744-$2,283, weighs an average of 4-5 lb., and comes with a five-year warranty. For more information, or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provides information, lists events, and accepts donations at www.vik9s.org, or you may mail your contribution to P.O. Box 9, East Taunton, MA 02718.

Recently a former FCSO intern stopped by our North Precinct to visit and provided this kind note to Corporal Dr. Nick Cardella who heads up our intern program. It is great to hear from our interns and get updates on their progress. We are #FCSOproud that we could be a part of your journey Angelique! . , ! ! ... . ! , !

Several of our deputies rolled up their sleeves and chose to get their COVID vaccine this week; even #DeputyDoug! #KeepingForsythSafe #FCSO

Happy Hanukkah! This evening marks the beginning of the wintertime Festival of Light. May your holiday season be filled with joy. #HappyHanukkah2020

From everyone at the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office, we wish you a safe and VERY Merry Christmas! #FCSO #MerryChristmas

Thank you to Thrivent North Point Group, who donated goodie bags for the Jail Deputies! Each backpack contains handwritten thank you notes, Chick-fil-a gift cards, candy, hand sanitizer, and other goodies that will certainly come in handy. #ThankfulThursday #kindnessmatters #FCSO

Keep track of those eggnogs! Even one drink can be one too many. Plan for a sober driver to get you home safely. Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. #FCSO #DesignateASoberDriver #StaySafeForsyth #DriveSoberorGetPulledOver #BuzzedDrivingIsDrunkDriving #DontDUI #FeelDifferentDriveDifferent

Yes folks that was indeed a 1.8 Earthquake many of you felt around Northeast Forsyth tonight. At least according to our friends at the US Geological Service. Dozens of calls to 911 and FCSO but thankfully no damage reported. Remember it’s 2020, don’t act like y’all are surprised. What’s next a Blizcanenadoquake? Remember only 22 days left in this year. Stay Safe Forsyth... Sheriff Freeman #2020goaway #notsurprised #allshookup #5kmdeep #notaexplosion #shakeitupbaby

Here is just a glimpse at a few of our stats from December in comparison to the month before. #FCSOwrapup

On Monday, January 4th, we celebrated the retirement of Lt. Gus Sesam from the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. With 26 years of commitment and outstanding service to the citizens of Forsyth County, Lt. Sesam’s incredible work at FCSO has helped to mold many of our outstanding deputies and we are forever grateful for his service. Gus Sesam’s work is not finished however. He will now serve as the Chief Deputy of the White County Sheriff’s Office. We could not be prouder of WCSO’s Chief Deputy Sesam and wish him the best of luck! #FCSOproud #congratulations #ThankYouForYourService

What is FCSO's Crisis Intervention Response Team? The Crisis Intervention Response Team (CIRT) is a special unit created by a partnership between the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office and Avita Community Partners. The unit's primary goals are to provide a specialized response to citizens experiencing a mental health-related crisis, encourage connections between mental health consumers and local resource providers, and reduce the prevalence of mental illness in the Detention Cen...ter. The unit is funded in part by a grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Justice and Mental Health Collaborative Program. The CIRT seeks to accomplish its goals by employing both reactive and proactive methods. How does this partnership work? Three members currently make up our CIRT: Sgt. Terry Hawkins is team lead. Sgt Hawkins has had advanced training for this position through courses such as the GPSTC Crisis Intervention Team course, Mental Health First Aid, and many others. Sgt. Hawkins has been with FCSO for twenty years and is also a member of the Hostage Negotiations Team and the Peer Support Team. Julie Zemke is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with Avita and works exclusively with FCSO as the CIRT clinician. Julie specializes in mental illness and substance abuse and is skilled in de-escalation. Julie can conduct on-scene assessments and advise on better outcomes for our citizens. Josh Bell is a Certified Peer Specialist with Avita who also works exclusively with FCSO. Josh seeks to assist Forsyth County citizens by linking them to local resource providers that may help with unmet needs, such as food, clothing, or coordinating appointments with mental health service professionals. When FCSO receives mental health-related calls for service, Sgt Hawkins and Ms. Zemke often act as co-responders to those scenes, along with patrol deputies. CIRT will seek to de-escalate individuals experiencing a crisis and then advise on best practices to assist those persons in a way that caters to their unique situations. Examples of CIRT activities on scenes have included simply talking with people until emotional distress has subsided, setting up crisis plans with individuals and their families, setting up appointments with care providers, and occasionally involuntary commitment for an emergency examination. When individuals are not in crisis but may live with a condition that puts them at risk of crisis, Mr. Bell can meet with them to advise and encourage them to maintain access to needed wellness resources. #FCSOCIRT

We want to provide information on some trends we have seen in the recent residential burglaries that have resurfaced in our community. Current trends we have seen in our last four burglaries include: Delivered packages left in the front of the residence longer than 6 hours, and in some cases left for DAYS at a time. (This is not only a welcome sign for those pesky porch pirates but a signal that no one is home!)... Males have been approaching front walkways of homes and sometimes knocking on the door to engage the homeowner in conversation about a lost pet. Males dressed in high-end workout apparel walking through the neighborhoods on their cell phones have been captured on video in the subdivisions; it appears these males are surveilling the homes before the burglaries. Be a good neighbor and keep an eye out for unusual occurrences in your neighborhood. Please call 911 immediately if you see anything suspicious, and partner with FCSO to help apprehend these criminals. #FCSO #SeeSomethingSaySomething #SecureYourProperty #StaySafeForsyth #TipTuesday

Here's a little something from FCSO to get you in the holiday spirit! Thank you Music Authority for your help with making this happen! #FCSO #MerryChristmas #musicaldeputies #socialdistancing #threeyearsinarow

Here is a glimpse at some of our stats from November. #FCSOwrapup #FCSO

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is hosting Parent CONNECT, a five-part virtual child safety series. Join NCMEC each week, along with special guests, as they discuss pertinent child safety topics with practical takeaways for parents. Designed for busy parents, discussions will cover online trends and safety risks facing children today and will feature NCMEC contributors and community-based organizations. November 10 - COVID 19 and Online Safety November 1...7 - Talking to Teens about Sexting November 24 - Live Streaming and Online Enticement December 1 - Cyberbullying December 8 - Child Sex Trafficking You can register for FREE at https://ncmec.zoom.us/we/register/WN_n3YAX9fRSOmIPsKFvIxgHg

Happy Birthday to our incredible leader! We hope you have a great day and an amazing year, Sheriff. #HappyBirthday #FCSOfamily #thiscatsforyou #birthdayboy

If someone comes to your home and asks for personal information like your Driver's License, Social Security or Medicare card, in order to verify your ballot, do not provide the information and call 9-1-1 immediately. #StaySafeForsyth #DontBeScammed

Here is a glimpse at a few of our stats from October in comparison to September. #FCSOwrapup #lockitorloseit #SlowDown #BuckleUp #DontDUI #StaySafeForsyth

All the votes have been counted and we have a winner... no, not that one... The voting has closed for the FCSO 2020 Halloween Costume Contest and we have a winner. It was a close one, but Pillsbury baby took the lead with 756 votes. Congratulations! Thank you to everyone who played along! #FCSO #FridayFun #Halloween2020

UPDATE 9:03 AM - ALL LANES ARE BACK OPEN *** TRAFFIC ALERT*** Car crash on GA 400 southbound at Big Creek Bridge (north of McFarland Pkwy); only emergency lane and one southbound lane flowing, extreme congestion southbound.... #FCSO #TrafficAlert See more

Friendly reminder of traffic delays due to the Marathon in the morning **Traffic Alert*** The Cumming 1/2 Marathon and full Marathon will take place on Sunday, November 8, 2020. Expect delays all over Cumming beginning at 7:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. #StaySafeForsyth #CummingMarathon #ThatsALotOfMiles

Mid October, the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol was called to the CVS at Laurel Springs Pkwy. in regards to shoplifters who had just left their location. Employees were able to provide deputies with a description of the suspects and their vehicle. Last week, employees at the CVS on Ronald Regan Blvd recognized the suspects from the previous shoplifting incident at the Laurel Springs location and contacted FCSO. A BOLO, including the vehicle description, was se...nt out over the radio and nearby deputies at the South Precinct responded; they spotted the vehicle matching the description and conducted a traffic stop. One of the suspects, Verlanda Johnson, confessed to taking a box of Rogaine from CVS and consented to a search of her purse where Hydrocodone pills were found, which lead to a vehicle search. As a result, FCSO seized an estimated $10,000 in pharmacy type over the counter goods and other items, as well as $3,868 in cash. During the investigator’s interviews with the suspects, it was discovered that one of the suspects was a part of a larger shoplifting crime ring that has been active in several areas. Verlanda Johnson -Theft by Shoplifting (F) -Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substance Sadique Brown -Party to a Crime (F) #FCSO #notinForsyth

Welcome to the #FCSO family Deputy Sheriff I Amanda Kelley and Reserve Deputy Sheriff II Donald Hrehor, we're happy you're here! #WelcomeWednesday #FCSOFamily

It's beard season at FCSO! During the month of November, many of our guys will be sporting beards to help support the American Cancer Society. We couldn't leave the ladies out, so they'll be showing off their brightly colored fingernails. #LetItGrowOrGlow #NoShaveNovember #thebeardsareback #beatcancer #FCSO

Why are Deputies parked at the polling sites? Did you know? Georgia’s Sheriffs are required by law (OCGA 15-16-10). ---------------- 15-16-10 Sheriff’s Duties; penalties; electronic storage... (a) It is the duty of the sheriff: (1) To attend, in the same manner specified in paragraph (2) of this subsection, at the place or places of holding an election at the county site, on the day of an election, from the opening to the closing of the polls, and to take under his charge all subordinate officers present, as police to preserve order; (b) If any sheriff or deputy fails to comply with any provision of subsection (a) of this Code section, he or she shall be fined for a contempt as the clerk of superior court is fined in similar cases. Code Section 15-16-26 shall also apply to sheriffs. ---------------- I have received questions from citizens about what the Sheriff’s Office responsibilities are. First, FCSO has no role in elections; we simply preserve the peace at polling locations, as we are required by law, while citizens exercise their right to vote for any candidate of their choice. Deputies are stationed in the parking lots and are not there to interact with voters. FCSO is well prepared and has plans to deal with any challenge that comes our way before, during, and after our election process. I just wanted to let you know why you are seeing Deputies at polling locations; they were there in 2018 and before that, but we wanted to answer those inquiring minds. For those who have already voted, thanks for exercising that sacred right -Sheriff Freeman

We received over 60 entries for our 2020 Kid's Halloween Costume Contest, and they are all awesome! Whichever photo has the most "likes/hearts" by Friday, November 6th, 2020 at 9:00 AM, wins a special prize from FCSO! *ENTRY HAS ENDED, THE DEADLINE WAS SUNDAY AT NOON* #FCSO #Halloween2020

Good morning Forsyth! Ms. Machek sent in this photo from the Forsyth County Extension Office. We hope everyone has a wonderful week. #FlagsAroundForsyth #StaySafeForsyth