Sheriff’s Office Inmate Litter Detail Re-Starts Operation

The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office has made an initial hire under the $1.2 million dollar Community Public Safety Grant awarded earlier this year by the state. The grant, which requires no matching funds from the county, is meant to “ address law enforcement staffing challenges,” according to a press release issued by Governor Brian Kemp. 

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley told WNEG News that Deputy Edward Bush is the first deputy to be hired under the hiring and retention grant, adding that Bush has been assigned to the Office’s Inmate Litter Detail. 

The Inmate Litter Detail utilizes county jail inmates to pick up and discard trash from county roadways, Shirley stated, adding that, on Monday, August 7 – the first day of the litter detail – 30 large leaf bags of trash were picked up from Rock Creek Road. 

Shirley said, “This detail will operate 5 days a week, weather permitting. The Sheriff’s Office is excited to continue the opportunity to provide this service to the citizens of Stephens County.”

Toccoa-Stephens Chamber president Julie Paysen, who also is a member of the Keep Toccoa-Stephens County Beautiful organization, said the reinstatement of the inmate litter detail is good news for the community.  

She said that not only does control of litter in the community impact local citizens, it plays a role in attracting customers for local businesses from outside the community.

For more information on the Keep Toccoa Stephens County Beautiful organization, visit facebook.com/KeepToccoaStephensCountyBeautiful.