'A champion for justice': Eugene Brantley launches campaign for Richmond County Sheriff

Dozens of supporters gathered on the top floor of the downtown Augusta Hyatt House on Thursday, and while many were not strangers, Eugene "Gino Rock" Brantley still made it clear who he was when he took the mic.

"Today I stand before you, not just as a candidate, but as a champion for justice, a man of action, ready to transform the Richmond County Sheriff's Office into the agency our county deserves," he said to rousing applause.

This marked the official launch of Brantley's campaign for Richmond County sheriff.

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Brantley started as a road officer in the sheriff's office in 2000 and went on to do a lot of work in the Special Operations Housing Unit and the Rapid Response Riot Team, according to his biography on the campaign's website. In 2017, he transitioned to the Richmond County Marshal's Office where he was promoted to sergeant.

One issue Brantley was particularly concerned about was the number of vacant jobs in the sheriff's office which, if filled, could address multiple areas of concern including added security for downtown businesses and local schools. However, he says there is a big morale problem.

"I was recruited by the deputies who were there. I would see them at the gym and they were like, 'Man, you need to come join the sheriff's office,'" Brantley recalled. "Now, you don't really get that from the deputies. Your best recruitment tool is actually the officers that work there. ... We have people that work with us at the marshal's office who came from the sheriff's office. The morale at the marshal's office is a lot better than it is at the sheriff's office, so you don't have the same turnover, and we don't have no vacancies."

Among Brantley's supporters were colleagues like Antonio Rodriguez, who worked alongside Brantley in the sheriff's office.

"I felt safe because he was a big guy, I was a small guy," Rodriguez said with a laugh. "I felt safe being around him because he was always looking out for us and making sure nothing really happened to us."

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Brantley also had family in the audience, like his niece Brionna Love.

"He's a great, standup guy. He's always been a provider for his family, and honest as far back as I can remember," Love said. "I think if they vote for him, they'll have a real nice guy that's willing to meet and do things with the adults and children. ... He's a perfect pick for Richmond County."

Also competing for Richmond County Sheriff Richard Roundtree's office are Clarence Lucious (Bo) Johnson IV and Richard Wayne Dixon. The primary will be held on May 21 and the general election on Nov. 5, 2024.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Richmond County Sheriff candidate Eugene Brantley starts campaign