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Sheriff’s Department Welcomes First Female Deputy
Deputy Garza

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department is welcoming its first female deputy, after one of the DeKalb County Jail’s officers moved up in the ranks. Deputy Jasmine Garza in now patrolling the roads after graduating from the police academy.

Garza, 22, said she graduated from DeKalb County High School in 2017, and then started her career in law enforcement at the DeKalb County Jail in 2019 as a correctional officer. In 2020 she was promoted to Jail Corporal, and worked that position until she was sent to the police academy in January 2022. “I’m certified and looking forward to getting started,” Garza said.

“We’d like to welcome our first certified female deputy here at the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department,” Sheriff Patrick Ray said. “Deputy Garza worked in corrections here at the jail for some time, and then worked her way up to Jail Corporal. She graduated the Walters State Community College Police Academy last Friday [March 25], where she spent nine weeks for their training course there.”

“Chief Deputy Robert Patrick and I went to the graduation ceremony last Friday and spoke to many of her instructors there,” Sheriff Ray continued. “They gave her high praise and compliments, so we feel we’re very fortunate to have her as a deputy here.”

“I believe Deputy Garza will be great for recruiting more females into law enforcement as certified officers,” Ray explained. “She also comes with another great benefit to the department for victims of crime who are females as well as children. It’s a lot easier for women and children to talk to a female officer versus a male officer. So this gives us a great opportunity.”

“We’re glad to have her on board,” Sheriff Ray concluded. “We welcome her here.”