On Tuesday December 12, 2023 Detention Office Michelle Mason, who is a Detention Officer within the Jail Division of the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office, was awarded the Paulding County Board of Commissioner’s Public Safety Award. Detention Officer Mason was awarded the Commissioner’s Public Safety Award for the selfless acts she exhibited on October 5, 2023 while she assisted with a domestic dispute situation when she was off duty.
Detention Officer Mason has been employed with the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office for a little over three months.
Detention Officer Mason, who was off duty at the time of the incident, observed a Nanny escorting the children she was caring for home from the bus stop in her neighborhood.
While the female victim was taking the children home, the father of the children (who was estranged from the children and the mother of the children) showed up and a confrontation ensued.
As the situation intensified and the male attempted to unlawfully take the children, a physical altercation occurred where the male battered the elderly female Nanny.
Unbeknownst to Detention Officer Mason, the male suspect had an out of state Protective Order barring him from having contact with the children or taking them anywhere. Detention Officer Mason stepped in and stopped the male from battering the elderly female and taking the children.
Furthermore, she was able to escort the female victim and the children back to their home. The male quickly left the scene once Detention Officer Mason intervened.
Once a 911 call was placed, Deputies with the Sheriff’s Office Uniform Patrol Division arrived on scene and immediately secured multiple warrants for the suspect. The male was arrested a few days later. It was later stated, by the children involved in the situation, that Detention Officer Mason was able to stop the male from battering the elderly female Nanny, thus keeping them safe.
Sheriff Gulledge remarked, “I am so thankful that Detention Officer Mason had the wherewithal to intervene during that violent and dangerous situation. Because of her quick, yet decisive actions, Detention Officer Mason was able to stop the male aggressor from continuing to batter the female victim. I am very proud of her and what she did to help those individuals”.
During the Board of Commissioner’s meeting, Detention Officer Mason was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Board of Commissioners along with a “Dinner for Two” Gift Card from Texas Roadhouse. Congratulations to Detention Officer Mason and thank you to Texas Roadhouse for the generous donation of the gift card!
