Sheriff Brown began his law enforcement career in 1973 as a patrolman with the Covington Police Department. In 1977, he joined the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, where he served in every capacity of law enforcement, demonstrating leadership through progressive supervisory roles.

He is currently the Active Past President of the Georgia Sheriffs' Association, representing all sheriffs in the State of Georgia. He has previously served on the Georgia Probation Subcommittee for the Council of Criminal Justice Reform. Additionally, he is a member of the Board of Directors for the Newton County Salvation Army, serves as an Executive Board
Member for Georgia Piedmont Technical College, and is the Treasurer of the Georgia Military College Georgia Public Safety Leadership Institute (GPSLI) Advisory Council. In 2019, Gov. Brian Kemp appointed Sheriff Brown to the Sexual Offender Risk Review Board.

Throughout his tenure in law enforcement, Sheriff Brown has received numerous achievement awards, accolades, and distinctions in recognition of his service and community involvement, including the Congressional Award presented by Fourth District Congressman Hank Johnson of Georgia. His law enforcement legacy, spanning more than 50 years, was honored with a
commendation signed by Gov. Brian Kemp on April 12, 2024. He also received the Outstanding Georgia Citizen Award from Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and a proclamation signed by Rep. Sharon Henderson, District 113, on Oct. 20, 2024.

Over the past 16 years, Sheriff Brown has led significant advancements within the Newton County Sheriff’s Office, including the creation of the Office of Professional Standards (OPS), the Internal Affairs (IA) Division, and the Co-Responder Program. Additionally, he has implemented more than 20 jail-based programs at the Newton County Detention Center aimed at reducing recidivism. Since 2009, the recidivism rate has decreased by about 50%.

Under Sheriff Brown's leadership, the Newton County Detention Center has achieved both state and national accreditation from the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) and the American Correctional Association (ACA). The agency also received reaccreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and accreditation from the Office of Sheriff Accreditation Program (OSAP).

The Newton County Sheriff’s Office achieved the elite status of becoming a Triple Crown Agency under Sheriff Brown’s leadership. There are 159 sheriff’s offices in Georgia and more than 3,000 in the United States. Newton County was one of the first four in Georgia, and one of only 43 in the United States, to acquire this esteemed level of certification.

He is married to Janice Brown, and they are the proud parents of five children and grandparents of eight.