Welcome to the Covered Bridge City
Euharlee Police Department
Jody Matthews, Police Chief
Chief Jody Matthews started his position with the City of Euharlee in June 2019. Jody joined the United States Army straight out of high school where he served for six years as a Cavalry Scout and Paratrooper.
Jody has been married for 23 years to his high school sweetheart Jamie. They have three children; daughter Morgan, son Connor, and son Carson. They are active with Boy Scouts, where Jody serves as an Assistant Scout Master with Troop 17 in Aragon, GA.
Jody spent the last 17 years with the Powder Springs Police Department, where he served in multiple capacities, to include; Patrol Officer, Motor Unit, SWAT, Detective, Patrol Sergeant, Patrol Lieutenant, and Division Commander. Jody is a POST Senior Instructor, and holds Specialized Certifications in Speed Detection, Firearms, Taser, and Standardized Field Sobriety Test Instructor.
Chief Matthews can be reached at 770-386-7339 or jmatthews@euharlee.com.
Message from Chief Matthews:
“I am excited and proud to serve as your Chief of Police in the City of Euharlee. The things that motivate me to serve in Law Enforcement are Community and Service. I believe, with my whole heart, in the motto “Protect and Serve”. We will be involved with the community. We will be involved in the schools. We will serve our community with respect and professionalism. We will make mistakes, and we will be held accountable for those mistakes, but we will overcome them and learn from them together, as long as we have honesty and integrity. I am here to be a part of a team of great police officers that serve YOU and protect YOU, day and night. All of this is reflected in our Mission Statement, which states:
The Euharlee Police Department will Serve and Protect through dedication, professionalism, active cooperation with the community and respect for human rights and dignity.”
Allen McNelis, Lieutenant
Lieutenant Allen McNelis began his service at the city of Euharlee in January 2015 where he served as an officer, was promoted to Sergeant, and is now the current Administration Bureau Commander.
Lieutenant McNelis has been married to his best friend Kim for 22 years; They have one daughter, Jennifer.
Lieutenant McNelis is a POST Certified Adjunct Instructor, and holds Specialized Certifications in Taser, Speed Detection, Crimes Against Children, and Supervision. He is also a part of the GBI ICAC Taskforce where he holds multiple certifications.
Lt. McNelis can be reached at 770-386-7339 or amcnelis@euharlee.com.
Cliff Yeager, Lieutenant
Lieutenant Cliff Yeager began his service to the city of Euharlee in February 2019 where he is now the current Field Operations Bureau Commander. Cliff married his college sweetheart, Erica, and they share 2 children: CJ and Blakeley. Cliff’s law enforcement career has spanned over 20 years where he has served at city, county, and state levels. He holds Supervisory and Management certificates from the Georgia Peace Officer’s Standards and Training Council, is a state certified Chief Executive Officer, a graduate of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Law Enforcement Executive Development program, and a 2015 graduate of Northwestern University’s National Police Staff and Command Executive Command College. Cliff holds specialized Instructor certifications in Firearms & Taser, and has attained his Senior Level Instructor certification from the Georgia Peace Officer’s Standards and Training Council.
Lt. Yeager can be reached at 770-386-7339 or cyeager@euharlee.com.
How Can We Help?
The Euharlee Police Department’s focus is to protect and serve our citizens with a high level of integrity by utilizing a community policing philosophy. Striving for excellence in all they do, becoming less incident driven and more proactive in preventing crime, and maintaing the safety of all Euharlee citizens are the Police Department's most important responsibilities.
In the event of an emergency, please call 911. If you need police assistance but do not have an emergency, you can all our non-emergency line: 770-387-5195
Join the Euharlee Citizens Policy Academy
Take a modified version of the standard, basic mandate course required for certification of law enforcement officers! You will receive a realistic view of the day-to-day activities of an officer and the training they must complete to gain police certification in the State of Georgia.
The 2023 Citizens Academy is hosted on Thursday nights from 6:30pm - 9:00pm, from March 9th - May 11th. See the full flyer here.
To apply, please download the application here, and email back to krowland@euharlee.com. You may also drop it off at City Hall between the hours of 8:00am - 6:00pm, Monday - Thursday.
Ask About Our Police Cadet Program
The purpose of the Police Cadet Program is to prepare young adults for careers in the public safety profession. Through this program, our officers mentor young adults as they learn to serve their communities with knowledge, skills, and practical experience through education and training.
This program is led by Public Safety professionals and builds character, physical fitness, and respect for the rule of law.
To join the Police Cadet Program, please download the application here and follow the directions. We look forward to having you on our team!