SHERIFF SCANDRETT
SHERIFF REGINALD B. SCANDRETT
HENRY COUNTY'S 29TH SHERIFF
Sheriff Reginald B. Scandrett is the 29th Sheriff to Henry County and the first African American sheriff in Henry County’s history. During his tenure, he plans to implement his six (6) point thrust by reducing recidivism, increasing community engagement by promoting public trust, induce restorative justice, empower employees through developing their well-being through training and psychological testing, and lastly becoming an accredited agency.
A career law enforcement officer, Sheriff Scandrett joined the Sheriff’s Office in 1990 as a detention officer and was promoted to positions of increasing responsibility over the past 25 years. Sheriff Scandrett retired as the Chief Deputy from DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office heading the state’s largest adult pre-trial detention facility after 30 years of service. He was responsible for managing all operations of the agency, which included the Jail Division, Field Division, Court Division, Training Division, and Reserves Division. He was Jail Division Commander for four years prior to his promotion to Chief Deputy in August of 2014. The 3,800-bed capacity jail houses an average 2,200 persons daily and processes more than 40,000 detainees each year.
During his tenure with the agency, Scandrett instituted practices that remain integral to the agency’s operations today. Among them are the annual multi-jurisdictional Operation Safe Streets Task Force (now known as Operation Safe DeKalb), and the Gang Task Force Unit.
He is certified in Basic Law Enforcement and jail management and supervision, as well as specialized tactical and operational disciplines, including Special Weapons and Tactics operations (SWAT), SWAT Command, SWAT Hostage Rescue; and In-Custody Death Investigation, among others. He is a Georgia P.O.S.T. certified general instructor and an instructor in Tasertron Electric Law Enforcement Technology, and PPCT Defensive Tactics, Collapsible Baton, and Impact Weapons.
Sheriff Scandrett is also a founder of the Metro Atlanta Chief Jailors Group. In 1994, he received the Georgia Jail Association Outstanding Dedicated Service Award. A graduate of the Leadership DeKalb Class of 2014 and Leadership Henry 2020. He was elected in 2016 as the Georgia Chapter Vice President of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives. He also created the first-ever Metro Atlanta Public Safety Flag Football League. Its purpose is to facilitate positive stress relief for public safety officials while establishing comradery among various metropolitan area agencies. League members represented the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Office, Atlanta Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Atlanta Fire Department, Atlanta Corrections Department, DeKalb Police Department, Henry County Police Department, Clayton County Sheriff’s Office and the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. Funds raised from league games benefit The Gold Shield Foundation, a non-profit providing emergency financial support for public safety personnel.
The Sheriff graduated magna cum laude from St. Leo University with a degree in Criminal Justice. He is also a graduate of the Mercer University Public Safety Leadership Institute and the U.S. Department of Justice F.B.I. Defensive Tactics Instructor School.
A community-oriented 27-year resident of Henry County, Sheriff Scandrett is married to Deidree, his high school sweetheart. Together they have two sons and two daughters. Sheriff Scandrett coached in the Henry County Youth Association Football League for eight years and he volunteered for four years with the Woodland High School Football Boosters and choral clubs. Currently, he is the president of the Summit at Scarborough Homeowners Association and proudly supports the Stockbridge Marching Tigers.