Most sheriffs spend their days thinking about crime statistics and patrol schedules. Reginald B. Scandrett thinks about encouraging children to become heroes in their communities.
Henry County’s first African American sheriff has written a children’s book. Not a memoir about breaking barriers or a procedural guide to law enforcement—a story about a sheriff who sits down with kids and listens to their questions.
The book, “Hidden Heroes Among Us: Partnering for a Safer Tomorrow,” goes on sale with its first signing scheduled for August 3 at Grace Baptist Church in Stockbridge, following morning services.
The premise sounds almost quaint: a law enforcement officer engaging children through honesty and empathy rather than authority and distance. But at a time when police relations with the community often make headlines for all the wrong reasons, Scandrett’s approach feels less like nostalgia and more like necessity.
“This book is about connection,” Scandrett said. “It’s about showing our children that law enforcement isn’t just about uniforms—it’s about listening, leading, and believing in second chances. And it’s about discovering the hero that already lives inside of them.”
The story follows a boy named Alex who encounters a sheriff in a local park. Through their conversation, readers learn that heroism doesn’t require a badge—it requires character.
The book launches with a 30-day tour, beginning at Grace Baptist Church on August 3, immediately following the 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. services. All proceeds benefit the Henry County Sheriff’s Office Foundation. Families can purchase copies at hiddenheroesamongus.com or meet Scandrett in person for signed copies.
There’s something deliberate about starting this tour at a church, in a community setting where families gather not for crisis or conflict but for connection. It’s the kind of environment where a sheriff can be seen as a neighbor first, a law enforcement officer second.
Whether children’s literature can bridge the gap between police and community remains to be seen. But Scandrett is betting that the conversation starts with listening—and that heroes, as his book suggests, might be hiding in plain sight.

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.