DeKalb County chief deputy retires after 30 years
Chief Akies and Sheriff Maddox (DeKalb County Sheriff's Office)
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - DeKalb County Sheriff Melody Maddox announced Thursday the retirement of Chief Deputy Randy Akies, who served the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office for 30 years.
Sheriff Maddox appointed Chief Akies to the post when she took office in 2019. As Chief Deputy, he was the highest non-elected official in law enforcement in the agency - responsible for the Jail, Field and Court Operations. Prior to his appointment, Chief Akies had been Major and Jail Services Commander, where he was responsible for DeKalb County Jail Operations administrations and inmate services.
"It has been my great pleasure to have Chief Akies alongside me since becoming sheriff," said Sheriff Maddox. "Not only has his experience and knowledge been of great value to me personally and professionally, but his dedication to excellence has been paramount in the fulfillment of our mandate for the safety of our community and the care of those in our custody."
Among Chief Akies’ most notable accomplishments were the creation of the agency’s K9 Deputy Unit and the Jail Emergency Services Team (JEST).
Last year, he implemented the firstever electric take-home vehicle program for Detention Officers. The initiative is being hailed as a model for sheriff’s offices nationwide, as it is the first of its kind. Chief Akies joined the sheriff’s office as a Detention Officer in 1995.
A 2018 graduate of Leadership DeKalb, Chief Akies earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice and a master’s degree in Critical Incident Management from St. Leo University. He is a graduate of the Yale University School of Management’s Executive Education Accelerated Management Program.