DeKalb County residents learned today their top cop’s future remains unclear after Police Chief Mirtha Ramos announced her resignation while county officials say she’s on administrative leave.
🔍 What We Know: Chief Ramos, DeKalb’s first female police chief and at five years, the longest-serving leader in two decades, released a statement telling her department’s achievements. She says under her watch, homicides dropped by 77 percent this year, while violent and property crimes fell 13 percent since 2024.
💫 Why It Matters: During her five-year tenure, Ramos secured better pay for officers, expanded crisis intervention training, and modernized the department’s technology. She brought in more than 8 million dollars in grants and created new community policing programs.
🏆 Notable Achievements: The department earned national recognition, winning the U.S. Department of Justice’s Attorney General Award for Distinguished Service in Community Policing. Ramos also launched innovative programs including:
- A civilian Community Service Aide position
- Online police reporting for residents
- The county’s first virtual mental health fair
- Plans for a Real-Time Crime Center
⏭️ What’s Next: County officials scheduled a news conference for 1:30 today. The timing of this announcement, made yesterday, leaves questions about its connection to Ramos’s status.
💬 The Quote: “DeKalb Police are the best and brightest our nation has to offer and I have unwavering respect for each of them. Thank you to every member of our public safety team for giving their all everyday and to our community for trusting us to keep them safe,” Ramos said.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
