[All photos provided by the Cobb Chamber: photo above, valor awards]
A MetroAtlanta Ambulance Service field training officer who helped save a shooting victim and a Marietta firefighting company that rescued two children were among the Cobb Chamber’s 2026 public safety award recipients.
The chamber presented five awards Monday, Oct. 5, at its Public Safety Appreciation Luncheon at the Atlanta Marriott Northwest at Galleria. The event launched Public Safety Appreciation Week.
The awards recognized emergency medical care, a cybercrime investigation, community outreach, police leadership and a rescue during a dangerous domestic incident.
Public Safety Employee of the Year: Devin Congleton
Field Training Officer Devin Congleton of MetroAtlanta Ambulance Service received the Public Safety Employee of the Year award.
According to the chamber, Congleton and her partner responded Jan. 28 to the Public Safety Administration Building, where a 26-year-old woman had suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Congleton worked with fire personnel to control the bleeding before transporting the woman to a hospital.
The crew administered blood during the seven-minute trip. The chamber said the woman survived injuries that physicians later described as having a very low likelihood of survival.
Congleton also trains new employees and fills in as a supervisor.
Award of Merit: Daniel Wood
Kennesaw Police Detective Daniel Wood received the Award of Merit for a multiyear cyber exploitation investigation that began with a report of a compromised Snapchat account.
According to the chamber, Wood uncovered a scheme in which a suspect impersonated victims’ friends to access social media accounts, steal private images and extort victims. His investigation identified additional victims across multiple states.
Wood worked with law enforcement agencies around the country, the U.S. Secret Service and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The chamber said the investigation led to a federal prosecution and guilty pleas to computer fraud, extortion and cyberstalking involving hundreds of victims, including minors.
Outstanding Contribution Award: Jeremy McGhee
Austell Police Sgt. Jeremy McGhee received the Outstanding Contribution Award for volunteer work, mentoring and community outreach beyond his official duties.
The chamber cited his visits to seniors through Cobb County Senior Services, where he plays piano, and his work providing shoes to Garrett Middle School students using personal funds and donations from colleagues.
McGhee also helps at-risk teens find employment and mentors young people through local schools, the Waymark Foundation and OneChurchATL S.E.A.L. His outreach includes literacy initiatives, financial education and volunteer service to people recovering from addiction.
As Austell’s chaplain coordinator, McGhee provides support during crises and writes condolence letters to families who lose a loved one in incidents his team responds to, according to the chamber.
Leadership & Excellence Award: Michael Payne
Acworth Police Officer Michael Payne received the Leadership & Excellence Award for a law enforcement career spanning nearly five decades, including his work training officers and securing recognition for a fallen Acworth officer.
Payne joined the Cobb County Police Department in 1977 and rose to major before retiring in 2008. He joined the Acworth Police Department in 2015 and serves as an instructor and department chaplain, teaching subjects including use of force, de-escalation, ethics and professionalism.
The chamber also recognized Payne’s research into the history of fallen Acworth Officer Leonard Byrd “Pete” Rainey. Payne located surviving relatives and gathered records to help secure Rainey’s recognition on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., the Georgia Public Safety Training Center Memorial and the Acworth Police Department’s memorial.
Award of Valor: Marietta Fire Department Company 55
Marietta Fire Department Company 55 received the Award of Valor for rescuing two children during a May 10, 2025, domestic incident.
According to the chamber, the children were inside a residence with a person believed to be armed and behaving erratically. Firefighters coordinated with Cobb County police, put on body armor and used ground ladders to rescue both children through a second-story window. Neither child was injured.
The company remained at the scene to provide medical care for the children and tactical medical support for law enforcement.
The recipients were Lt. Luke Wilson, firefighter engineers Ryan Conniff and Jonathan Fernandez, and firefighters Blaine Whealy, Andrew Wiedrick and Tucker Griffith.
For more information about Public Safety Appreciation Week, visit the Cobb Chamber’s website.
Editor’s note: AI was used in the production of this article. To read about how, when and why we make use of AI, read our article “How, When and Why the Cobb County Courier uses AI.”
