Sheriff: Sgt. Marc McIntyre, deputy killed in line of duty, was shot through a window

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Spalding County deputy shot and killed Friday morning was Sgt. Marc McIntyre, a eight-year veteran of the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office. The GBI is conducting the investigation of McIntyre’s death. “They are at the scene processing it, and they are here interviewing deputies that were on scene. They are conducting […]

Spalding deputy succumbs to injuries sustained in Friday morning shooting

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Spalding County deputy shot in the line of duty Friday morning has succumbed to his wounds. Sheriff Darrell Dix, who confirmed the tragic outcome, has not yet officially identified the deputy. The GRIP will withhold the deputy’s name until it is formally released. The suspect, who barricaded himself in a […]

SWAT standoff leads to investigation of Spalding assistant county manager, arrest of former Code Enforcement officer

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Spalding County Code Enforcement Officer Steven Arnold was on Saturday arrested after a standoff at his residence involving the Griffin Police Department SWAT Team and Uniform Patrol Division personnel. Police initially responded to Arnold’s Sylvan Lane residence in response to a 911 call reporting a suicide threat. The caller, later identified […]

Hawbaker denied bond; now facing four counts of aggravated assault against LEO

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: Don Hawbaker was on Wednesday denied bond at his first appearance hearing before Spalding County Chief Magistrate Judge Rita Cavanaugh. The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday obtained four misdemeanor arrest warrants against Hawbaker – one for simple assault alleging he pointed a pistol towards his wife, Gayle Hawbaker and three […]

Sheriff: Domestic call with gunfire leads to standoff, SWAT call out

STAFF REPORT ::: The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday evening responded to a domestic call with shots fired and a possible barricaded gunman at 512 Terry Drive. An hours-long standoff ensued. According to a press release issued by Sheriff Darrell Dix, the report was made by a woman who alleged her boyfriend, 50-year-old Stephen […]

Nearly six-hour SWAT standoff results in warrants for Griffin man’s arrest

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: A domestic-related call with a person threatening suicide Monday afternoon resulted in a SWAT callout for the Griffin Police Department. Lt. Daniel Jett, the public information officer for the GPD, said that while en route to the location, officers were advised by Spalding E911 that 22-year-old Javon Goodman was threatening suicide […]

Anything boys can do, girls can do better: SCSO’s first female SWAT operator also named Top Gun

Publisher’s note: This article appeared in a recent print edition of The GRIP> SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: From tragedy to triumph – that is the story of Jennifer Fuller, the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office’s first female SWAT operator. Fuller earned that title with her successful completion of the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office SWAT School. However, […]

SCSO personnel receive SWAT training; agency’s first ever SRT established

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: The Spalding County Sheriff’s Office has established its first Special Response Team (SRT). From April 10 through 14, 13 SCSO personnel attended Basic Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) training at the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office that included team movement, dynamic and methodical entry and building clearing techniques, hostage rescue, critical incident […]

FBI conducts joint GPD-SCSO hostage rescue training

SHEILA A. MATHEWS ::: FBI personnel were recently in Griffin to conduct hostage rescue and barricaded suspect training for the Griffin Police Department Special Response Team (SRT) and Spalding County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Unit. According to Lt. Darrell Dix, the GPD’s training officer, FBI hostage rescue agents conducted the training at no cost to […]