Chief Harrell earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Forensic Science at Jacksonville State University (Jacksonville, AL). Since then, she has completed courses such as Supervision & Management (I, II, and III), the Law Enforcement Executive Development program, and Critical Incident Stress Management. She has also been a Peer Support Team Member. Chief Harrell served as a member of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP) and the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).
Chief Shameta Jones-Harrell launched her Law Enforcement career with the College Park Police Department in October 2000 as a Uniform Patrol Officer. She was a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT); she also served as a Field Training Officer, a detective in the Criminal Investigations Division, where she specialized in Sex Crimes, Domestic Violence, and Crimes Against Children), and was later promoted to the rank of Sergeant.
In 2013, Shameta
Harrell continued her Law Enforcement career as a Uniform Patrol Sergeant with
the Brookhaven Police Department and was instrumental in building the agency.
Her career advanced to Lieutenant, then Major (assigned to the Support Services
Division). While Commander of Support Services, Shameta managed the Community
Policing Unit, later rebranded as the “Community Engagement Unit” to better
reflect the agency’s community partnerships. Along the way, DC Harrell launched
the “One Congregation One Precinct (OneCop)” program to build relationships
with the Brookhaven faith-based community. She managed many areas such as the
Training Division, Traffic Safety Unit, Property & Evidence, Fleet,
GCIC/Records, Accreditation, Hiring and Background Investigations, and the
department’s Special Projects, such as FLOCK cameras. She served as Brookhaven
Police Department’s liaison for the Social Justice, Race, and Equity
Commission’s (SJREC) Police Accountability & Legitimacy Committee; she had
an opportunity to educate the SJREC on the agency’s standards, policies, and
practices to offer guidance on recommendations to ensure equitable police
services.
Shameta Harrell proudly serves the Austell Police Department as Chief, with the primary goal of transforming the culture to serve the better community. Chief Harrell is an active and loving mother of two handsome boys.