First Responders: Chief Deputy Barry White

In our 70th First Responders, we meet Deputy Barry White. White is a native of Clarke County and now he makes sure his home county remains safe on a daily basis.

“I love it, so that’s what I’m doing,” White says.

Barry White has been in law enforcement for 23 years. He began his career in October of 1995 working at the Clarke County Sheriff’s Department as a dispatcher.

“I worked there five years and learned a lot. I learned how the deputies interacted with the public. I learned a lot from the old guys that used to work here,” White says.

After being a dispatcher, White went on to be a school resource officer through a grant. He says he eventually moved up to road deputy. White is now Chief Deputy Barry White.

“You enjoy the people that you serve and you’re able to help people. You want to continue to do it day in and day out,” White says.

White says the relationship between the Clarke County community and law enforcement is a good one. He says the joy of patrolling where he grew up is great.

“Working from them is a joy for me. To see the people where I grew up every day. There is something special when you can work where you’re from,” White says.

White says he does run into people he went to school with sometimes.

“I have had to arrest several people I went to school with. You just have to do what you have to do. Sometimes they understand and sometimes they want a favor, but we’re here for a reason. We have a job to do and that’s what we intend on doing,” White explains.

White says he loves what he does and hasn’t seen himself in any other position.

“The greatest thing in the world is working where I grew up. We have some of the best people in Clarke Count and I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else,” White says.

To stay up to date with our First Responders series tune in every Sunday night for Newscenter 11 at 10:00 p.m. and on Good Morning Meridian on Monday mornings.