Two careers, nearly 20 years, one commitment to the people of Perry

The Criminal Investigations Division are among the first to arrive at devastating situations and are instrumental in finding justice. This is done with unmeasurable dedication, a quality Captain James Jones possesses.

After several years of promotions, he now oversees the Criminal Investigations unit.

Part of Jones’s duties is criminal investigations, as well as overseeing the evidence unit. The unit is made up of detectives, a criminal analyst and two evidence technicians.

Jones is also in charge of overseeing the drone unit, a new addition to the police department.

This is Jones’s third year serving as captain, however, he has been with the Perry Police Department since 2007. Now approaching his 20 year anniversary, he has worked up in the department, starting as a patrol officer.

A typical day-in-the-life for Jones is unexpected. As soon as he enters the building, he starts reviewing cases from the night before. He then decides which ones need follow-ups from detectives.

From there, they will hold meetings with Chief Alan Everidge to stay updated. Serious occurrences during the day warrant sending detectives and Jones to assist.

Over the years, he has received multiple Police Officer of the Year awards. He was also on the FBI Task Force from 2017 to 2023.

Jones has a Bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security and is currently working on receiving a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbus State University.

Jones’s career has a unique start. Before becoming a police officer, he spent about 14 years in the fire service. While in fire service, he conducted arson investigations which occasionally overlapped with law enforcement; this is what piqued Jones’s interest.

When Jones came to Perry, the chief at the time asked him if he wanted to be a police officer, kickstarting his law enforcement career.

After all this time, his favorite part of the job remains the same: interacting with the community.

“That’s why we’re here is to serve the community. We have a fantastic community here in Perry that is very supportive of the police department,” he said.

Jones believes the only time people see officers is during their worst day. People often call them to bring comfort or closure, which is what motivates him.

“That’s what I do it for. I think that’s what most police officers enjoy most about the job is the interaction with the community,” he said.

Jones believes he has a good work ethic and aims to do the best in everything he does while maintaining his division to the highest standard.

“We don’t cut corners. We work cases here at Perry that, from a detective standpoint, a lot of jurisdictions would never work; but the way we look at it: a victim is a victim, no matter how small the crime is, they’re still a victim,” he said.

The division going above and beyond in their investigations symbolizes their commitment to the community, Jones believes. The department wants to ensure citizens feel they are receiving the best service.

Outside work, Jones enjoys participating in races alongside his son. They recently participated in a mini triathlon in Augusta.

He said participating in these events are great because he and his son spend time together. The pair also recently hiked three days on the Appalachian Trail.

Although he loves his job, Jones shared it can be stressful, but spending time with family and friends helps him “unplug” from the world.
Jones advised those interested in pursuing a law enforcement role to self-reflect before diving in. He urges them to know who they are and understand their commitment.

“You have to have the heart of a servant to do this job and do it good. It’s not always fun,” he said.

Jones believes there is often a misconception that law enforcement is about chasing cars and locking up bad people, but that is not always the case. He said people have to be mature and ready to get into the profession.

He also encourages those interested in law enforcement to have a good work ethic.

“We need go-getters. We need people that when they come to work, [they] provide a service because the citizens support us,” he said.

Jones also advises to ensure family understands the task they are undertaking. The job has been hard on his wife, daughter and son, he said.
Jones sacrificed presence at holidays and birthdays. However, he believes it is important for families to ride the journey together.

Jones said he has been blessed with being with his wife for 32 years, and she has been with him through his fire department to his police department days.

“It’s just stuff like that. People have to be mindful of it’s not all car chases?I just wish people understood that,” he said.

Law enforcement is not always fun, but Jones believes it is a rewarding career and, if done right, is something to be proud of. He believes not everybody is a bad person, they just made a bad decision, however, there are consequences to their decisions.

Only a handful of people he has arrested were grateful to Jones because he changed their lives for the better.

“I think those instances really mean a lot from a law enforcement officer’s standpoint,” he said.

Jones talks to one frequently. At the time, Jones was a young detective and the person he arrested just graduated high school.

Jones said the person was always in trouble, escalating into property crime and theft.

Jones arrested him and the man did his time in prison.

“I think that was the catalyst that really hammered home the idea that, ‘This [isn’t] the lifestyle that I want’… he’s always been so gracious and so thankful. It’s never a time I see him that he doesn’t say something positive,” he said.

The person now has a family and owns a small business. Although Jones thinks he didn’t make a significant impact, this person believes Jones arresting him was a blessing that put him on the right path.

“Somebody’s got to do this job. If you have that servant heart, you are a good person, you have integrity and you really believe in commitment, that’s the people we need out here, on the street, doing this job,” he said.

Through his many sacrifices and endless cases, Jones continues to serve his community and will leave a positive impact at the Perry Police Department.