The Hiawassee Police Department (HPD) was deputized by the Towns County Sheriff’s Office (TCSO) at a city council work session Monday night.
This comes after an alleged altercation between former TCSO Sheriff Ken Henderson and HPD officer José Carvajal that led to Henderson getting indicted and suspended by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp.
Henderson also interrupted a traffic stop HPD was conducting back in 2022.
“Being deputized by the sheriff really shows the commitment that interim Sheriff Anthony Coleman has put into mending relationships between the departments and within the community,” HPD Chief Paul Smith said. “By him deputizing us, it allows us to more easily assist the sheriff’s office … to serve the community better.”
Smith added that the show of support is how departments should work.
“There should be no rivalries or issues between law enforcement agencies,” Smith said. “We all serve the same common purpose, and we’re here for community safety. It’s really a step in the right direction, in the direction that things should have been all along.”
The departments also agreed to assist each other through mutual aid.
“It’s really just cementing the fact that we want to work together,” Smith said. “We’re there to assist each other when it’s needed.”
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