Major Crimes

Cherokee County Major Crimes Unit Badge

The Cherokee County Major Crimes Unit was established on October 1, 2014, as a cooperative effort between the District Attorney’s Office, Cedar Bluff Police Department, Centre Police Department, Leesburg Police Department, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office in order to combine resources, improve communication among departments, and better investigate major crimes in Cherokee County.

The Major Crimes Unit is responsible for investigating major crimes including the following cases: homicides, missing persons, kidnappings, robberies, serious assaults, sex crimes, and arson.


The Major Crimes Unit is consists of personnel from the five participating agencies:

Professional portrait of Director Josh Summerford 

Josh Summerford, Director
Chief Deputy, Sheriff's Office

 

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Investigator Leigha Blake

Sheriff's Office

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Investigator Brian Gilliland

Sheriff's Office

Professional portrait of Randy Mayorga

Randy Mayorga
Chief Investigator, Centre Police

 

 

 

 


The Major Crimes Unit is governed by a board of directors which consists of the agency head of each of the participating agencies.

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District Attorney
Summer M. Summerford

Professional portrait of Sheriff Jeff Shaver

Sheriff
Jeff Shaver

Professional portrait of Chief Kirk Blankenship 

Chief Kirk Blakenship
Centre

 

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Chief Jeremy Stepps
Cedar Bluff

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Chief Jamie Chatman

Leesburg


The Unit is made possible by the cooperation between the District Attorney, the Sheriff, the county’s three police chiefs, the County Commission, and the Mayors of each municipality. The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) also contributed to the operation of the Major Crimes Unit by providing funding for equipment and training.

 

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