COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A deputy recruit at the Cobb County Sheriff's Office has been fired, arrested and now is facing charges after what Sheriff Craig Owens described as an attack on a detainee he was handling.
Sheriff Owens said an "exchange of words" led to the incident involving deputy recruit Jacqun Brown and the detainee in a press conference on Monday afternoon. He described the attack as "in clear violation of all our training, protocols and our policies."
Upon learning of the incident, he and staff "quickly reviewed evidence reported to us and decided to relieve the recruit immediately of his job duties."
The sheriff's office provided arrest warrants that show a misdemeanor battery charge and felony violation of oath by a public officer charge against Brown. Owens said the now-ex deputy recruit is in custody at Paulding County Jail.
The warrant for the battery charge alleges Brown "did intentionally cause visible bodily harm" to the detainee, by "striking the victim with multiple, closed fist punches and applying choke holds."
"The punches were to the face and body of the victim while the choke holds were placed under the victim's arm and neck. The victim suffered multiple cuts, scratches and bruises to his forehead, top of his head, shoulders, and lower back/rib area," the warrant states.
The recruit had been hired in February last year.
Owens tied the response to comments made last month by the sheriff's office about transparency and integrity following the police beating death of Tyre Nichols in Memphis.
"We will not tolerate abuse of power and we will uphold laws equally and fairly," Owens said.
Cobb District Attorney Flynn D. Broady, Jr. also spoke, saying, "just like we promised, we will hold law enforcement accountable."
"You see that the actions of the sheriff - the quickness, the ability to make sure those bad apples (are held accountable)," Broad said. "They are the exception to the rule. Our law enforcement in Cobb County are the best in this country, but when we find those exceptions, we will root them out, we will hold them accountable."