Meet Your RCSO Command Staff

Sheriff Eric J. Levett

Executives

Chief Deputy Dale A. Holmes

Chief Deputy Dale A. Holmes

Chief Deputy Dale A. Holmes, who has lived with his family in Rockdale County since 1998 and retired as Assistant Chief of the DeKalb County Police Department in 2015 after 28 years of service, stepped up to the position of Chief Deputy for the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office in August 2017.

He began his law enforcement career with the DeKalb County Police Department in 1987 and rose through the ranks starting with street patrol to directing and leading law enforcement personnel, and eventually executive management. In 2006, Chief Deputy Holmes was promoted to Deputy Chief of the special operations division where he managed 86 sworn and 195 non-sworn personnel. Three years later he was promoted to Assistant Chief of Police (investigations, support services divisions.) in 2009 and Uniform Division Commander in 2012. Along the way, he gained valuable experience. He received the Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Management and Supervisory Certifications; was assigned as Commander of the narcotics section and managed personnel in the DeKalb High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) Task Force, the Narcotics Unit, the Vice Unit, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, White Collar Fraud Unit, Permits Unit, and the DeKalb Taxi Wrecker Bureau.

He has managed fiscal responsibilities to include the Narcotics Seizure & Awarded Seizure Accounts, the Investigative Funds Accounts, and HIDTA Grant funding, as well as managed grants for the Aerial Support, Bomb, Commercial Vehicle, and Strategic Traffic Accident Reductions (S.T.A.R.) (DUI) Units. His command experiences also include being Assistant Commander of DeKalb County Homeland Security and Intelligence, Deputy Chief of the Special Operations Division, and Assistant Police Chief. Among his honors, Holmes was named DeKalb Police Detective of the Year and North DeKalb Rotary Club Detective of the Year in 1995.

Chief Deputy Holmes attended Tuskegee University, where he graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He is also a 2007 graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Academy, and in 2010 earned a Master of Science degree in Education from Central Michigan University.

 

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Major LeJohn D. Tate

Major LeJohn D. Tate

Major LeJohn D. Tate Jr. is currently the executive commander overseeing the Law Enforcement Bureau at the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO). Before his present position, he worked in the Jail Division as a Detention Deputy, Uniform Patrol Division as a Certified Deputy, HEAT Unit member, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Chief of Staff. He was promoted to the rank of Major on November 27, 2023.

Major Tate is a Los Angeles, California native, a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, and a mentor in the community. Major Tate moved to Atlanta, Georgia to attend college. He graduated with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. While attending college, his love for law enforcement grew. Major Tate began his law enforcement career while in college. He worked with the Georgia Department of Corrections as a correctional officer. After college graduation, Major Tate applied for the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. Major Tate's official start date with RCSO was September 11, 2017. In addition, Major Tate obtained his master’s degree in business administration with a minor in project management.

Major Tate's law enforcement career expands over nine years. He worked in the Department of Corrections, Dismas Charities (federal halfway house), and Rockdale County. Major Tate is dedicated to the success of the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office. Major Tate has a love for traffic enforcement and accident reduction. This was truly displayed through the operations he introduced to the agency. He implemented a concept called “Traffic Tuesdays” to educate the motoring public on how to foster positive encounters with law enforcement during traffic stops. Through Traffic Tuesday, he has held several in-person talks within the Rockdale County Public School System to teach students safety tips on driving.

Some of Major Tate's specialized training consists of:

  • Executive Protection
  • Drug Recognition Expert
  • Advance Roadside Impairment
  • Traffic on-scene investigations
  • Instructor
  • Field Training Officer
  • SWAT level one

 

Major Tate has charged himself with never becoming complacent. In making that charge, he has vowed to make Rockdale County a better place. It is his goal to fight crime, increase employee retention, cultivate innovative ideas, and highlight the importance of community-oriented policing.

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Major Jason Welch

Major Jason Welch

Major Jason Welch is currently the executive commander overseeing the Jail Operations Bureau at the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO). He has been employed with the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office for 18 years. He graduated from the Clayton Regional Law Enforcement Academy to become a Georgia P.O.S.T. in 2006 becoming a Certified Law Enforcement Officer.  By 2015 Major Jason Welch had obtained a General Instructor /Firearms Instructor Certification from the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council. He completed the Professional Management Program at Columbus State University in 2016.  Major Welch is responsible for the daily operations of the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office Jail Operations, Jail Administration, Judicial Services/Warrants/Civil Operations, and the Court House Operations.

With over ten years of supervisory experience, Major Welch has served at every supervisory level from Corporal to Captain.  Major Welch’s supervisory assignment includes undercover Narcotics/Vice Unit Supervisor, Special Investigation Unit (SIU) Supervisor, and Uniform Patrol Shift Commander.  He has commanded the Uniform Patrol Division, Jail Operations Division, and Judicial Services Division as a Captain.

Additionally, Major Welch oversees the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team Operations and serves as a Law Enforcement Services and Firearms Instructor.

 

 

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Commanders

Captain Tom Brewer

Captain Tom Brewer

Captain Tom Brewer is currently assigned as the Jail Commander. He has been employed with the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) for almost 22 years. In that time, he has worked in Uniform Patrol as a patrol deputy, Criminal Investigations Unit as an investigator/supervisor, and the SWAT Team as a commander. He was promoted to the rank of Captain in 2019.

Captain Brewer began his law enforcement career in 1990 with the Conyers Police Department as a road deputy and detective. He took a break from law enforcement in 1994 for 6 years and in 2000 he began his career at the RCSO. He was promoted to the supervisory rank of Corporal in 2004 while in CID. A year later, in 2005, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and continued as a supervisor in the Criminal Investigations Unit and a Sergeant on the SWAT Team. In 2009 he was appointed to the rank of Lieutenant and served as a Shift Commander in Uniform Patrol Division and SWAT Team Commander. In 2016, Captain Brewer served as the Assistant Commander of the Support Services Division while holding the rank of Lieutenant. Captain Brewer returned to Uniform Patrol in 2018 and served as the Assistant Division Commander
until his promotion to the rank of Captain. In 2019, Captain Brewer served as the Division Commander of Judicial Services, then moved to Support Services in 2021 as the Division Commander. In April 2022 he moved to the Jail Division as one of the Jail Commanders. Captain Brewer has worked as a commander in every division at the RCSO.

Captain Brewer began his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice at UGA and completed it at Georgia State University. He also holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbus State University. In 2005, he received the prestigious Supervisor of the Year Award along with a Hometown Hero civilian award for his investigative work in the Rockdale community. Captain Brewer also possesses his POST-Managerial & Supervisory Certifications along with Advanced and Intermediate Certifications.

 

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Captain Tijuana Harris

Captain Tijuana Harris

Captain Tijuana Harris is presently assigned as commander to the Support Services Division at the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO). She previously served as the Jail Commander and Administrative Lieutenant. This Administrative Lieutenant position granted her the opportunity to assume the role of Interim Jail Commander/Assistant Jail Commander and continue the implementation of the RCSO COVID-19 Jail Division Management Plan. She was promoted to the rank of Captain August 2020.

Captain Harris began her law enforcement career in 1998 when she joined the RCSO as a Detention Deputy. She successfully completed her Basic Peace Officer Certification at the Fulton County Public Safety Training Center in 2001. She transferred to the Rockdale County Court Services Division in 2003 and worked as Superior Court bailiff until 2005 when she left her law enforcement career and relocated to Nashville Tennessee with her family. In 2007 when Captain Harris returned to the Rockdale County community, she resumed her career with the RCSO and was assigned to the Jail Division. Within six months of her return, she received a lateral promotion to Jail Administration as the Bond Administrator and GA Crime Information Center Terminal Agency Coordinator.

While embracing these new responsibilities she was promoted to Corporal in 2013 and Sergeant in 2017 by Sheriff Eric J. Levett. In April 2018, she was transferred to the Office of Professional Standards. This
division is responsible for Recruitment, Background Investigations, Hiring, Citizen Complaints, Use of Force Investigations as well as Internal Affairs Investigations. She was also the Public Information Officer where she conducted interviews with the media, reporting events and occurrences for transparent communication with the public. In December 2018, she was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and transferred to the Jail Division as Shift Commander. This role involved managing day to day jail operations with more than twenty subordinates and an inmate population of over 400. Captain Harris embraced this responsibility and received another promotion as Jail Administrative Lieutenant in February 2020.

Captain Harris has earned certifications for Jail Officer, Intermediate Peace Officer, Managerial, Supervisory, and General Instructor through the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council (GA P.O.S.T.). Other certifications include Professional Management Program through Columbus State University where she also majored in Criminal Justice and earned her Bachelor of Science degree. Captain Harris is passionate about all people, law enforcement, and the vision and mission of the RCSO. During her tenure, Captain Harris has enjoyed spending quality time at numerous community events and has served as a member of the Rockdale County Mentoring Program.

 

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Captain Tyler Hooks

Captain Tyler Hooks

Captain Tyler Hooks is currently the commander of the Uniform Patrol Division at the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO). Before his present position, he served as a shift Lieutenant and then as the Assistant Division Commander for the Uniform Patrol Division. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on October 30, 2021.

Captain Hooks knew he wanted to be in law enforcement at an early age. Following his high school graduation at Heritage High School in Rockdale County, he enrolled in the criminal justice bachelor’s program at Valdosta State University. His official law enforcement career began with the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office on February 16, 2004, as a Detention Deputy. In March 2006, he became a certified officer and was assigned to the Uniform Patrol Division as a patrol deputy.

In 2007, Captain Hooks completed the Columbus State University Professional Management Program and received a certificate in criminal justice. With the knowledge gained, he was able to apply his skills and was named Deputy of the year for the Uniform Patrol Division in 2008. During his time in Uniform Patrol Division, Captain Hooks was a member of the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office S.W.A.T. Team, the R.C.S.O. Dive Team, and the crime suppression unit, and became a traffic accident reconstructionist. In October 2010, Captain Hooks was promoted to Investigator and was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division. In August 2011, he was assigned to Task Force Group II with the Drug Enforcement Administration. As a member of Task Force Group II, Captain Hooks investigated domestic and international drug trafficking organizations.

During his time with DEA, he graduated from DEA Atlanta’s Leadership Development Program which was a program dedicated to enhancing the leadership skills of members within the Atlanta Field Division. In 2012, Captain Hooks received his bachelor’s degree in business management from the University of Phoenix. This led to his promotion to Corporal in February 2015 and was reassigned to general criminal investigations where he supervised eleven Investigators within the Division. In September 2016, he was promoted to Sergeant and took command of the Narcotics and Vice Unit. In December 2018, Captain Hooks was promoted to Lieutenant within the Criminal Investigation Division and oversaw the day-to-day operations of the entire division. In May 2020, Captain Hooks received the Excellence in the Pursuit of Justice Award from the United States Attorney’s Office for his contributions to the mission of the U.S. Department of Justice.

 

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Captain Ernest Strozier

Captain Ernest Strozier

Captain Ernest Strozier currently serves as the Criminal Investigations Division Commander for the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office overseeing investigations. He joined the Rockdale County Sheriff’s  Office in December of 2017 as the Captain of the Uniform Patrol Division which is the largest division in the Sheriff’s Office. Prior to joining the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office, Captain Strozier served 30 years with the College Park Police Department where he retired as a Major in the Criminal Investigations Division.

Captain Strozier is dedicated to service and has been excited to bring his extensive background to benefit the citizens of Rockdale County. He is proud to serve the Sheriff of Rockdale County and is committed to supporting him in fulfilling the Sheriff’s Office vision of being a leader in personnel safety, quality personnel, equipment, technology, training, professionalism, integrity, and transparency. Captain Strozier obtained his Paralegal Certification from Clayton State University, a Bachelor of Arts Degree from St. Leo University, and is a graduate of the prestigious FBI National Academy class #228.

Captain Strozier is an active member of the FBI National Academy Associates, The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Georgia Sheriff’s Association.

 

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Lieutenant Jeremy Best

Lieutenant Jeremy Best

Lieutenant Jeremy Best is currently the Office of Professional Standards (OPS) Commander at the Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO). He graduated from Georgia College and State University with a BA in Criminal Justice in May of 2008.  His career with Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office started in June of 2009 in the Jail Division as a Detention Deputy. Lieutenant Best was mandated and transferred to Uniform Patrol in January 2011, then promoted to Investigator and transferred to Criminal Investigations Division in August of 2014.

Jeremy Best spent 5 years in CID before being promoted to the rank of Corporal in December of 2016 and operated as the southside burglary and major felony investigator. He was transferred to the Office of Professional Standards in March of 2020 as the agency's Crime Analyst and Internal Affairs Sergeant. Lieutenant Best then was promoted to Lieutenant in July 2021 and transferred to Uniform Patrol as a Shift Commander. After 3 months he transferred back to the Office of Professional Standards as the OPS Commander.

 

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Lieutenant Tasha Forte

Lieutenant Tasha Forte

Lieutenant Tasha Forte currently serves as the Commander of the Office of Professional Standards (OPS)/Internal Affairs at the Rockdale County Sheriff's Office (RCSO). She has been a part of the law enforcement community since 2011, starting her career with the Atlanta Police Department. During her time with the Atlanta Police Department, she spent four years as a Uniform Patrol and School Resource Officer.

In May 2015, Lieutenant Forte began her career with RCSO as a School Resource Officer. In January 2019, she was promoted to Investigator and assigned to OPS/Background and Recruiting. In July 2021, Lieutenant Forte was transferred to the Traffic Unit and promoted to Corporal. In September 2022, she was assigned to the Uniform Patrol and promoted to Sergeant.

Finally, in January 2024, Lieutenant Forte was promoted to her current rank of Lieutenant and tasked with serving as the Commander of OPS/Internal Affairs.

Lieutenant Forte has received specialized training in various areas including Certified Voice Stress Analyst (CVSA), Supervisory Certificate, Radar and Lidar Certification, Intermediate Certificate, Hostage Negotiator, Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), Law Enforcement Phlebotomist, Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT), and School Resource Officer.

 

 

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