RCSO encourages community policing - WFXG FOX54 Augusta - Your News One Hour Earlier

RCSO encourages community policing

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By Rachel Moore - bio | email
AUGUSTA, GA (WFXG) -

It's been one day since Franklin Buckner walked his son to the front doors of the Richmond County Sheriff's Office. Buckner's son, Ceon Ulmer was wanted in connection with a shooting last week in the Augusta Manor apartments in South Augusta; leaving one man injured. Buckner called Sheriff Richard Roundtree at his home early Monday morning, telling him his son wanted to turn himself in.

"It's been a lot going on in the Sheriff's department," Buckner said. "I didn't know if I could trust anyone else with my son. I wanted to make sure my son got there without anybody trying to hurt my son, so that's why I called Mr. Roundtree."

This is the second time this year someone has called the Sheriff's Office with information leading to the arrest of a violent suspect; the first from an anonymous citizen who knew a witness to the murder of a man at a South Augusta night club. Edward Yancey, 21, was shot a killed in the parking lot of Club Fiesco on Peach Orchard Road after a New Year's Eve party. The witness led investigators to more witnesses, ending in the arrest of Deontre Hubert, 18, who's being charged with murder.

These tips are the building blocks of a new relationship the Sheriff's Office wants with the public.

"We want to break down those walls," Sheriff Roundtree said. "We want to regain their trust, if there was a distrust, and let them know that we're going to be here to serve you."

Sheriff Roundtree says he wants to become more accessible to the public, hoping more people will follow suit when it comes to community policing.

"We are going to be a community service agency," Sheriff Roundtree said. "We're going to be able to try and serve this community. We want you to be able to call us when you're in need or you need advice or you need help. That's what we're here for."

And that's what Buckner looks for in law enforcement. Among his son's charges is aggravated assault. And even though he says he's upset his son is in jail, he believes he did the right thing.