Chatham County Sheriff's Department history

Reconstruction and the new State Constitution of 1868 established a five-member board of county commissioners, divided the county into townships, and radically changed the court system.

In 1881, Police Magistrate, S.S. Sabine, was the first documented law enforcement official with the Village of Chatham.

TOWN OF GOLDSTON FORMED IN 1907

Only Sheriff Mary Myrtle Siler, the first female sheriff in the state of North Carolina, achieved a higher rank when she was appointed Chatham County Sheriff in 1920.

Since the creation of the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association in 1957, Georgia has become a national leader in its efforts to professionalize the Office of Sheriff.

In the 1970’s, the Chatham Police Department was re-evaluated.

Source- Chatham County: 1771-1971, edited by Doris Goerch Horton, Nell Craig Strowd, and Wade Hadley.

In 1977, the county adopted the council-manager form of government and appointed the first county manager.

In 1978, the jail moved to Montgomery Street next to the Chatham County Judicial Complex.

Moving forward, the Chatham Police Department expanded and hired a series of Police Chiefs in the 1980’s.

In 1985, all three sheriff's Offices combined to form the current Office

In 1988, the Chatham County Detention Center (CCDC) opened off Chatham Parkway.

She began her journey with the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office before moving to Chatham in 1994.

After the move, she accepted a job with the Carrboro Police Department and was later invited to join the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office family in 2002.

FIRST TO PROMOTE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN (CHARLES GARDNER) TO THE RANK OF CHIEF DEPUTY (2016)

During her nearly 20-year career with the Sheriff’s Office, Kelly has served at every rank, breaking barriers at every stage along the way; she previously made history in 2018 when she became the first woman in the agency’s history to achieve the rank of major.

OPENED THE CHATHAM SHERIFF'S OFFICE ANIMAL RESOURCE CENTER (ARC) IN PITTSBORO (2021)