Union County Sheriff's Office - Georgia

08/26/2026

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY: Similar to the last detour for Ashley Circle and Hwy 515, a detour is in effect. (See attached) The west/south end of Ashley Circle will be closed. The east/north end will be open to traffic. All access to Ashley Circle must use the east/north end of the road. Please keep in mind this is a project managed by the State of Georgia and not your local County Government. The Complete schematic provided by engineers for the project can be found here: https://www.unioncountyga.gov/DocumentCenter/View/969/SR-515-Ph-2-Detour-plan-Ashley-Circle-S

08/25/2026

🚨 ROAD CLOSURE NOTICE 🚨

Richard Russell Highway (Highway 348) will be closed all day today due to a motor vehicle wreck involving a tractor-trailer.

Motorists need to avoid the area and use an alternate route.

08/20/2026

Today was a great day as we got to recognize some fine men and women who went above and beyond the call of duty to save the life of another. Sheriff Dyer presented Certificates of Merit to seven of our first responders this morning at the Union County Commissioner's Meeting.

The first incident occurred on June 27th when one of our own deputies, Deputy Buck Stover, was at his residence with his wife, Kimberly, and began having a medical emergency. The Union County Fire and EMS crew responded quickly and began tending to Deputy Stover. Deputy Stover then went into full cardiac arrest. Crews from Fire and EMS were able to provide lifesaving measures to bring Deputy Stover back. Deputy Stover has fully recovered and is back to work!

This morning, Sheriff Shawn Dyer recognized the crew that showed up that day and provided lifesaving measures to Deputy Stover. Sheriff Dyer presented the crew with Union County Sheriff's Office Certificates of Merit - Lifesaving Awards. The crew was comprised of Union County Fire Lt. Travis Gibson, FF/Paramedic Kyle Mead, and FF Adam Podber; and Union General EMS Paramedic Derrick Pruitt and AEMT Amber Pruitt. We are eternally grateful for the rapid response of our Fire and EMS personnel. We are very fortunate to have such knowledgeable professionals watching over us every day!

The second incident occurred in July at a residence off Trackrock Gap Rd. A call came into the 911 Center in reference to a female that was unresponsive. Two of our deputies, Sgt. Michael Kearns and Deputy CJ Townsend, were nearby and overheard the medical call. Both Sgt. Kearns and Deputy Townsend are certified EMTs and volunteer firefighters. Even though this was a medical call, the two deputies responded without hesitation. They found the female in full cardiac arrest and unresponsive. Sgt. Kearns began CPR. Deputy Townsend carries his own Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in his patrol car. He retrieved the AED and administered a shock to the patient. The two deputies continued providing lifesaving measures until EMS arrived. They then continued assisting EMS until the patient was able to be transported.

Due to the lifesaving measures that were rapidly deployed by these two deputies, the patient regained a pulse just as EMS arrived. The patient was transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center where she was listed in stable condition. In incidents like these, seconds are vital. These two deputies arrived on scene several minutes prior to Fire/EMS arrival and made the difference in the chances of survival for the patient. Sheriff Shawn Dyer was proud to recognize these two deputies with Certificates of Merit - Lifesaving Awards. The two deputies were also presented with Commendation Medals to be worn on their uniforms. Great job deputies! The Sheriff's Office and our community are fortunate to have such dedicated professionals that go above and beyond to serve their community and help those in need!

(Pictured L-R: Chief Deputy Josh Berry, Sheriff Shawn Dyer, Deputy CJ Townsend, Sgt. Michael Kearns, Lt. Travis Gibson, FF/Paramedic Kyle Mead, AEMT Amber Pruitt, Paramedic Derrick Pruitt, Deputy Buck Stover, Kim Stover; not pictured - FF Adam Podber)

08/18/2026

We would like to welcome the newest deputies to the Union County Sheriff's Office!

On April 24th, Deputy Logan Bryson, Deputy Lillian Leird, and Deputy David Harris graduated from Basic Law Enforcement Training at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center (GPSTC) in Forsyth, Ga. This was the culmination of over three months of intensive classroom and practical training. They were then assigned to the Field Training Program within the Sheriff's Office. They have recently completed their field training and have now been released onto their assigned shifts.

Deputy Bryson and Deputy Harris have worked for the Sheriff's Office as Detention Officers since July 2025. Deputy Leird has worked as a Detention Officer since December 2023. Congratulations to these three deputies! We hope this is the start of a long and rewarding career!

Next, we would like to welcome our newest addition: Deputy Brayden Snow. Deputy Snow comes to us from the Murphy, NC Police Department where he has been employed for the past couple of years. Deputy Snow recently completed his Georgia equivalency training to be recognized as a Peace Officer in the State of Georgia. Deputy Snow brings knowledge and experience in the field of DUI Enforcement. Just this year, Deputy Snow was recognized as Officer of the Year by the North Carolina division of Mother's Against Drunk Driving (MADD). Please help us welcome Deputy Snow if you see him around!

08/10/2026

At 10:06 a.m., Union County Dispatch received a phone call for a person with a single gunshot wound at the Union County VA Clinic. Deputies and EMS arrived on scene within minutes and began assessing the situation. This is still an active investigation, and we will release information when we can. The scene is secure, and there is no danger to the public at this time.

08/05/2026

As a new school year begins, the Union County Sheriff’s Office would like to wish every student, teacher, administrator, and school staff member a safe, successful, and rewarding year ahead!

Whether it’s your very first day of school or your final year before graduation, know that our community is cheering you on every step of the way. We hope this year is filled with learning, growth, new friendships, and lasting memories.

To our dedicated teachers and school staff, thank you for the incredible work you do to educate, inspire, and care for our children. Your impact reaches far beyond the classroom.

As students return to school, we ask everyone to help keep them safe. Please slow down in school zones, watch for children and crossing guards, and always obey school bus laws. A little extra patience can make all the difference.

From all of us at the Union County Sheriff’s Office, have a safe, successful, and amazing first day of school.

08/04/2026

Please check out the new Union County Sheriff's Foundation. Under new legislation, taxpayers can utilize this foundation to keep their tax dollars local and help the Sheriff's Office with vital training, equipment, and resources. Why send money to Atlanta when you can choose to stay local! Go visit their page to learn more!

We shared the foundation post a few days ago, but the link was broken. If you would like to find out more information about the foundation or how to donate, please visit their website at https://unioncountysheriffsfoundation.org/

Sheriff Shawn Dyer is launching Union County's very first Citizens Police Academy, and the community response has been incredible! The inaugural class filled quickly and begins August 6.

At the Union County Sheriff's Foundation, we are committed to supporting programs that strengthen the relationship between law enforcement and our community through education, outreach, and involvement. Your support helps make these opportunities possible.

If you'd like to invest in programs like the Citizens Police Academy and other community initiatives, please consider making a donation to our Greatest Need Fund. Visit unioncountysheriffsfoundation.org or mail your tax-credit-eligible donation to:

Union County Sheriff's Foundation
378 Beasley Street
Blairsville, GA 30512

📅 Coming Up Next!
Join us for our popular Scam Prevention Class on Tuesday, August 26, at 10:00 a.m. at the Golf Course Community Center. Learn how to recognize today's most common scams and protect yourself and your loved ones.

Together, we're building a safer, stronger Union County!

08/03/2026

The Union County Sheriff's Office and Union County EMA would like to let everyone know of the new county-wide notification system, Rave. This system takes the place of the old Code Red alerts that were previously sent out.

Feel free to sign up for Rave Alerts in order to receive critical notifications that could include severe weather updates, road closures, missing persons, or emergency evacuations. You can receive these notifications via text message, phone call, email, or all three!

This is a free service for anyone that wants to stay up-to-date with critical notifications about Union County. Feel free to scan the QR code on the attached flyer, or you can visit: www.tinyurl.com/UnionRave to register!

07/31/2026

Please check out the new Union County Sheriff's Foundation. Under new legislation, taxpayers can utilize this foundation to keep their tax dollars local and help the Sheriff's Office with vital training, equipment, and resources. Why send money to Atlanta when you can choose to stay local! Go visit their page to learn more!

The link in their post is not functioning correctly, so if you would like to learn more information, please visit the foundation's website at https://unioncountysheriffsfoundation.org/

Yes! You can get a Georgia Tax CREDIT and the Union County Sheriff's Office gets a 100% matched donation for your Credit. In other words, YOU get to decide what happens to your tax dollars and our Sheriff's Office gets money for training, equipment, dogs, drones, maintenance of equipment, bonuses..... money to cover a wide range of needs relieving some burden from the county government. Check it out at unioncountysheriffsfoundation.org under the LESS Crime Tax Credit. This is great for individuals and businesses (which can get up to a 75% credit based on their corporate structure). And yes, you can give to more than one tax credit program if you wish, up to your limit.

07/28/2026

Last week, Union County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Investigators were called to assist the Cherokee County (NC) Sheriff's Office with a drug investigation. The subject of the investigation was Harold Wayne Wolfenbarger, aka "Wolf", for suspected methamphetamine trafficking.

On July 24, 2026, our investigators assisted with a traffic stop and arrest of Wolfenbarger in Gilmer County, Ga. During the traffic stop, approximately one-half kilo of methamphetamine was discovered. Wolfenbarger was arrested and charged with multiple drug related offenses.

Sheriff Dyer would like to commend the efforts of our Narcotics Investigators and express his gratitude for the excellent working relationships with surrounding agencies. This was a joint effort spearheaded by Cherokee County, but also included the Gilmer County Sheriff's Office, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). These drugs were destined for Cherokee County, but could easily make it into the hands of those in Union County.

The more we seek partnerships with those agencies surrounding us, the more likely we are to eradicate drugs from our streets, and, as in this case, assist with intercepting drugs destined for our area.

Wolfenbarger has been charged, but is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.