Dougherty County sheriff announces upcoming barbecue, golf tournament

ALBANY – The Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office is bringing the community together for the 16th year with its annual Unity in the Community Barbecue Saturday. 

The event is free and open to the public at Riverfront Park. It will run from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. with food and games for youths. Dougherty County Sheriff Terron Hayes said the annual event is the Sheriff’s Office’s way of bridging the gap between law enforcement and the community. 

“This is to show the citizens that we’re still here … to partner with them … to answer any concerns or questions they may have – the sheriff’s office can help them,” Hayes said. “Law enforcement in this community is really here to serve the people of Albany and Dougherty County.” 

Hayes said this year’s barbecue is special because it means carrying on former Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office Capt. Ted Thomas’ legacy. Thomas passed away in September 2024. The Unity in the Community Barbecue was one of the last projects Thomas worked on before his death. 

“He was big on the youth of this community,” Hayes said. “He was big on character education programs. And we just want to continue to carry out his legacy and things that he tried to do when he was here with us, We just want to keep that ball moving.”

Thomas served as the director of the Crime Prevention and Intervention Unit. Capt. Ronnye Nelson has since taken over that role. 

Nelson said he wanted to carry on the barbecue tradition because it gives the community the chance to see sheriff’s deputies outside of their uniform and in a different light. 

“We let them know that we are human,” Nelson said. “Sometimes people think negatively of law enforcement. It’s an everyday fight to bridge that gap with the community, and law enforcement has to consistently work on it.” 

Nelson said the barbecue is also an opportunity for the community to meet Hayes, as this is his first barbecue as sheriff. 

Hayes helped spearhead both the barbecue and the upcoming 2025 Building Unity in the Community Golf Tournament before he became sheriff. 

“It’s a blessing for me seeing where we went from 16 years ago to now,” the sheriff said said. 

The Golf Tournament will be held, Oct. 24 at the Flint River Municipal Golf Course at 2000 McAdams Road. Registration starts at 11 a.m. that day. 

The annual golf tournament is how the Sheriff’s office raises money each year for multiple community initiatives, including the annual Thanksgiving Turkey Basket Giveaway and the Christmas Shop with the Sheriff program. 

“This event is how you see the Sheriff’s Office in the community giving away things and taking care of youth in the community,” Hayes said. “We don’t use taxpayer money on anything that we do outside of regular operations.” 

Nelson said the goal for Shop with the Sheriff is to be able to buy 50 youths Christmas presents. Thanks to support from the community, the Sheriff’s Office has been able to double that number. Nelson said it’s looking for business sponsors to get behind the initiative. 

To find out more information for the barbecue or register for the golf tournament, the public can contact Nelson at (229) 733-7614 or [email protected] as well as Sgt. Matthew Faulk at (229) 655-8434 or [email protected].