Houston County Sheriff’s Office to temporarily manage Centerville Police Department

CENTERVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Houston County Sheriff’s Office temporarily takes over for the Centerville Police Department Monday. 

Sheriff Cullen Talton says he signed a memorandum of understanding between the office and the city this morning. Several deputies will be in charge at the police department, including Captain Ronnie Harlowe, until it can find a permanent chief. 

“The first week, the first few days, is coming in, getting to know the people that are here and basically getting to know the day-to-day operations and seeing how things are run and just take it from there,” Harlowe says. 

Centerville city leaders placed the police director Ed Tucker and Lieutenant Phillip Pritchett on paid administrative leave. 

41NBC reached out to the mayor on the personnel moves. He said he couldn’t comment any further. 

According to an unsigned agreement with the two agencies, the Centerville Police Department is in need of a certified and qualified public safety officer to manage the department.

The Houston County Sheriff’s Office will provide officers to oversee the police department for 90 days.