Community Relations

Our Purpose

Community Relations is a fundamental part of the Henry County Sheriff’s Office comprehensive approach to protecting and serving the citizens of Henry County. In a county as diverse and multi-faceted as Henry County, community outreach takes many different forms, ranging from Sheriff’s Office driven programs, to public efforts such as community meetings and events, training, and education, both formal and informal.

In all of these efforts, the Community Relations Unit’s goal is to listen, to learn, and to educate, in order to better achieve the overall mission of the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.

Our Mission

To enhance the relationships between citizens and law enforcement throughout Henry County, Georgia by engaging in various interactive community service initiatives.

Upcoming Events


  • Career Fair
    Henry County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting a Career Fair at 120 Henry Parkway, McDonough, GA 30253. We are looking for Detentio... Learn more
  • sports camp 2024
    Join us for the HCSO and Shaquille O’Neal Sports Spectacular Summer Camp! With three days of fun and learning, this camp focuses on t... Learn more
  • Unity in the park
    Join us for the HCSO and Shaquille O’Neal Unity in the Park Family Fun Gathering for a great time filled with music, food and fun. Th... Learn more
  • Ride4unity 2024
    Henry County Sheriff’s Office is excited to announce the 3rd Annual Law Enforcement and Community “Ride4Unity”! Today is ... Learn more

Programs


For over 25 years, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office has been presenting community education programs. The Community Relations Unit has developed a wide range of topics that cover today’s citizens’ issues. Each program is delivered by a deputy who has been trained in crime prevention and program presentation. Along with these programs, the Community Relations Unit conducts public awareness events out in the community. All programs are available to any group upon request. We can also develop plans to accommodate almost any topic. Our goal at the Sheriff’s Office is to help you become more familiar with laws and law enforcement in order to make Henry County a safer place.

Introduced in 2010, this program is intended for children from all backgrounds between the ages of 12 through 14. This 4-day long activity-packed program runs from 8 a.m. and until 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Topics include a variety of fun indoor and outdoor activities but are also packed with safety and security educational-based programs. The purpose is so that when these children are away from home and are faced with difficult decisions in their lives, they will know they can reach out to law enforcement for help or guidance. Applications will be made available up to one month before the start of summer camp and will be accepted in the order they are received.

For over 25 years, McGruff the Crime Dog has been educating kids and teens on safety issues. Today, more than 93% of children recognize McGruff, the trench coat-wearing hound dog. The goal of McGruff is to bring a higher awareness to the fight against crime. McGruff is available for daycares and public awareness events in the community.

In today’s world, even the sanctuary of a place of worship may be a target for criminals. To help congregations learn to identify and deal with a variety of situations this program was created in two parts:

Part 1 – In this introduction, we inform church leaders and committee members of the facts on the safety and security crises at churches throughout the country. This includes potential vulnerabilities and the real consequences of doing nothing.

Part 2 – This section is an on-site evaluation of the potential weaknesses and to assist in the development of security teams and the creation of a Security and Safety Operational Plan. A well-developed plan may save your congregation money in the form of insurance reductions and reduced liability.

Provided documents – As part of the program, the Sheriff’s Office will provide copies of the program to share with your congregation as well as a model Safety and Security plan (in Word format) for your team to modify for your specific property needs.

The purpose of this program is to help businesses educate their employees on how to recognize volatile situations that could lead to violence and how to deal with or diffuse the situation.

This program is designed to make business owners and employees aware of the pitfalls and patterns businesses fall into that criminals look for to prey on them. It is designed to help business owners and employees become more acquainted with other businesses nearby so they can watch out for each other.

This monthly program, held at Heritage Park and Hidden Valley Senior Centers, is designed to educate senior citizens on the scams and schemes that law-enforcement are aware of and help them identify potential financial risk.

NEWS & NOTIFICATIONS


Meet Our Team


Shaquille O’Neal

Community Relations Director

Chris Prather

Community Relations Manager