According to a public information release from the office of Sheriff Craig Owens, the sheriff has appointed Gina Hawkins as Assistant Chief Deputy.

Hawkins served as the Police Chief of Fayetteville, North Carolina from 2017 until her retirement this February. According to the public information release, she was “the very first female, first African American, first Hispanic Police Chief in Fayetteville history.”

Read an article from the Fayetteville Observer about her tenure there by following this link.

From 1988 to 2006 she served in the Atlanta Police Department, rising to the rank of Assistant Zone Commander (Lieutenant) of Zone 3. She then served seven years in the Sandy Springs Police Department during its formative years from 2006 to 2013, serving as a Captain.

Then she was Deputy Chief of Police in Clayton County before moving on to become Chief of Police in Fayetteville.

Hawkins earned a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University, and a Master of Science in Management from Johns Hopkins University.

“Chief Hawkins is a visionary and trailblazing leader,” said Owens. “It made perfect sense to bring in an incredible leader with a commitment to 21st-century policing and law enforcement management to oversee our externally facing operations.” 

“I am excited about the opportunity to return and serve in the community I raised my daughters,” said Hawkins. “I am humbled to be able to join the dedicated team at the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office and share Sheriff Owens’ commitment to transparent, community-oriented leadership.”

According to the announcement, Hawkins is the Vice President of the National Association of Women in Law Enforcement, Co-Chair of the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Committee, and a member of the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange, Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association and National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives.

She will move into her position with the Sheriff’s Office this Monday, July 17, 2023.