Assistant Chief A.W. Lane oversees the Criminal Investigations Division. She is responsible for several units, including Major Felony.

Major White helps lead the Criminal Investigations Division, which includes the Major Felony Unit. He is born and raised in DeKalb County, and has been with DKPD for 21 years.

Capt. Yarbro is originally from south Florida and has been with the department for over 22 years. Yarbro served in most areas of the department and was in the Major Felony unit as a detective and is now the commander of the Crimes Against Persons Section, which supervises the Major Felony Unit.

Lt. Ruffin was raised in beautiful Minnesota. He has been in the DKPD since 1996. He worked in Uniform Patrol and was then first promoted to detective in the Major Felony Unit and then Sergeant and now he’s a Lieutenant for the MFU, a “Unit that holds itself to the highest standard.” Lt. Ruffin says, “It is extremely personal when working on behalf of a victim and their loved ones.” If there was one quality a detective must possess, it’s humility. This job is “Not as glamorous as folks think.” Lt. Ruffin is married with two sons.

Lt. Tom Stewart is a longtime veteran of the DKPD. Before being promoted to Lieutenant, Stewart was in Uniform Division, then a detective and then a sergeant for the Major Felony Unit. He was drawn to DeKalb County’s Dept., because the standards are set very high and only “The best and the brightest are chosen.” The most gratifying aspect of his job is “Putting the bad guy away and getting closure for the family.” Lt. Stewart’s most memorable case was the assassination of Sheriff Elect Derwin Brown. This job isn’t “As glamorous as one would thin Hollywood doesn’t point out all the time spent away from family and the strains it puts on a relationship.” Lt. Stewart is married and when he’s off duty he spends time with his family and enjoys the occasional round of golf.

Sgt. Eisner is DeKalb County born and raised and joined the DKPD in 1992. Having grown up in the area, he knew the dept. had the reputation as the best in the southeast. Before becoming a Sgt. in the Major Felony Unit, Eisner worked in the South Uniform Division, the Mobile Crisis Unit, the Prosecutor’s Office, the Training Academy, and the Chief’s Office. During the span of his career, the Sgt. has been involved in a few harrowing moments, including resuscitating a child who was in full cardiac arrest after being struck by a car. On another occasion he interrupted a kidnapping in progress where the suspect planned to kill the victim and their child. The best part of Eisner’s job is the people he works with, “There’s a lot of teamwork in the unit.” He is very thoughtful about the nature of his work and honestly says, “There is nothing fascinating about death investigation. It’s sad it has to exist.” But since it does exist, he speaks with pride about being part of a unit with the history and accomplishments of the Major Felony Unit. Outside of work, Sgt. Eisner dedicates much of his time to working with domestic violence victims, and was the chair of a women’s shelter and a task force. He is married to DKPD Sgt. Tina Dillard (recipient of two Medals of Honor and two Purple Hearts). They have three (extremely active) children.

Sgt. Ferreira was born in Providence, RI, but was raised in the Atlanta-metro area. He recently discovered some of his family history and learned that his great grandfather from his father’s side was a police officer. He knew in college that he wanted to be a police officer and joined the DKPD in 2000 following his college graduation. The Officer of the Year Award was bestowed on him in 2003 while he was a Master P.O. and apprehended more than 40 fugitives in one month. The same Sergeant that nominated him for the award also encouraged him to join the Major Felony Unit. He became part of the Major Felony Unit in 2004 and was a detective for two and a half years before moving to Internal Affairs and being promoted to Sergeant. He rejoined the Major Felony Unit as a Sergeant in 2009 and is one of two Sergeants assigned to the Homicide/Assault Unit. The job is tough, especially when you have kids, but Sgt. Ferreira tries to take it all in stride. He strives for diligence and thoroughness during his investigations. His most memorable homicide investigation involved a teenager killed during a high school graduation party. Sgt. Ferreira can’t imagine his life doing anything other than police work.

Sgt. Kenney became a police officer in 1998. His previous units include Uniform Division, Narcotics, and VICE. Then he became a sergeant in the Uniform Div, and proceeded to work in Fraud and Burglary. His most memorable case was working and helping to solve the armored car heist homicide. To be a good investigator, Sgt. Kenney says “Attention to detail, the ability to focus and being organized” is required.

Sgt. Nicole Rutland joined the DeKalb County PD in 1997. Before becoming part of the Major Felony Unit, Rutland worked in Special Ops, Administrative and COPS. Her desire to arrest criminals is what drew her to police work and what drew her to the Major Felony Unit was her desire to work in the PD’s most challenging unit. Her most memorable day on the job was a New Year’s Eve when three people died from car accidents. To deal with the heaviness of the job, Sgt. Rutland says, “It’s my job to turn emotion off and turn investigative skills on.” She would like for others to understand that investigators do their best to arrest perpetrators, but they do so “within the boundaries of the law.” Drive and determination are two key ingredients to being a good detective. When Sgt. Rutland is not at work, she enjoys reading, gardening and playing with her dogs. She is married.

Sgt. Stafford is native to DeKalb County, GA. He served in the US Marine Corps before joining the PD in 1993. Since that time he has worked the Uniform Division, C.O.P.S./COBRA and C.I.D. Burglary. It was the investigation aspect that drew him to the Major Felony Unit. To deal with the heaviness of investigating homicide, Sgt. Stafford has learned to “Stay focused on telling the victim’s story.” Some cases do wear on you, “Especially if they involved children.” The most rewarding aspect of his job is “Knowing that you have given a family some sense of normalcy when they are dealing with their loss.” His most memorable achievement was getting a murder conviction in a case where the corpse was never located. Stafford thinks common sense and an open mind are qualities that make a good detective. Outside of work, Sgt. Stafford enjoys motorcycle riding, camping and doing anything fun.

Det. Davis was born and raised in DeKalb County. He has been an officer of the law since 1988 and joined the DeKalb County PD in 1994, working in MFU for the past 6 years. Davis also served in the US Army. Before coming to the DKPD, he worked in Uniform and Narcotics for the Greene County PD. He was drawn to the DeKalb Major Felony Unit because “It is the best unit in the department.” As for being a homicide detective, Davis says “It’s not easy, it’s the hardest thing I’ve ever doneit takes a lot of work to solve a case and it’s hard to deal with families because it’s a very sad time for them.” It feels good “when you get a real bad person off the street and catching a killer.” Two of the most memorable cases he worked on were the murder of a DKPD detective and the murder of two DKPD officers. A strong detective must have a good work ethic, want to get involved and overall just have a good attitude. Outside of work, Det. Davis enjoys being in the great outdoors, hunting, fishing, hiking and participating in shooting sports. He is married with two children. If Davis wasn’t doing police work, he thinks he’d be running his own business.

Det. Dewberry grew up an army brat, where his father was a military police officer for 30 years. Dewberry was a corrections officer for the State of Georgia before joining the DKPD in 2002. He became a police officer because of a “Desire to server a higher cause.” He joined the Major Felony Unit because he “Was ready to try something new and gain experience.” Working homicide can be wearing, but Dewberry says you have to remember why you do the job. At the end of the day, Det. Dewberry’s family is his first priority. They are the reason he continues to do his job every day.

Det. Erwin joined the DeKalb County PD in 2007. She always knew that she wanted to be a police officer. Erwin has also worked in the Uniform Division, N.E.T. and the Truancy Unit, before joining the Major Felony Unit. Her most memorable experience on the PD was while she was on the N.E.T. Team. “I had the opportunity to stop two juveniles from making a big mistake.” The most unforgettable homicide case she worked was a triple murder that involved a mother and her two children at the hands of a family member. Erwin was drawn to the MFU because it requires “Top notch work and I wanted to be the best.”

As a compassionate individual, Erwin does find the job wearing at times. What she wants people to understand is that detectives care about the job and about the people involved, but it’s necessary that you find a way to keep yourself emotionally detached in order to do your job properly. The most common misconception about detective work is that “it’s easy and DNA comes back in three days.”

Det. Chris Franklin is originally from TX. Prior to joining the DKPD in 2003, Det. Franklin was a member of the US Marine Corp. In addition to Homicide, he has also worked in the Uniform Division and Property Crimes. Franklin likes working Homicide because he believes that “murder is the greatest crime and must get the greatest attention.” To prevent the gravity of his job from wearing on him, he adheres to leaving his “work at work” and not bringing it home. Bringing closure to a victim’s family is the best part of his job. “Being able to think outside the box and keep an open mind,” are two attributes that make a good homicide detective. Det. Franklin is married with one daughter. Outside of work he enjoys coaching his daughter’s soccer team as well as fishing and just being outdoors.

Det. Justin Goode is relatively new to the DeKalb County PD, having joined in 2007. His father was also a member of law enforcement. Before becoming a police officer, Det. Goode served in the US Air Force. In addition to Homicide, Goode also worked the South Precinct Uniform Division. He is married with one child and enjoys playing basketball outside of work.

Det. Greening became a member for the DKPD in 2004. Prior to becoming police, he served in the US military. After working in the Uniform Division for a while, Greening decided he was ready for a new challenge and “you can’t get more challenging than being a homicide detective.” If there were one myth that he could dispel, it would be that “Cases are not solved in an hour. It’s a lot harder than it looks on TV. There are a lot of hours that go into an investigation.” The aspect of Greening’s job that he appreciates is giving families closure. A good detective has a strong work ethic. In his off time, Det. Greening spends it with friends and family.

Det. Guest is a veteran of the DeKalb County PD with over 23 years of law enforcement experience. He became a police officer simply because he loves helping people. Before becoming a detective he worked as a patrol officer. An incident he’ll always remember was when a man called him to his home one day, so Guest could tell his seven-year-old to go to school. Guest sums up being around death, the crime scenes and the grieving families as “part of the job.” People don’t realize how much hard work goes into solving a case, “It takes a lot of work to solve a crime.” The best part of his job is bringing closure to a victim’s family. Outside of work, he likes spending time with his wife and four children. If he wasn’t a police officer, Det. Guest thinks he would be spending his time doing home restoration.

Det. Hardaway is a second-generation police officer. He has been in the DeKalb County PD since 2004. Before becoming a homicide detective, Hardaway worked with the District 2 N.E.T. Team. Prior to joining the PD, he was a parole officer for the state of Georgia.

Det. Scott Harris is originally from OH and is a graduate of Ohio State University. He spent nine years working in the juvenile court system in OH and GA before joining the DeKalb County PD in 2001. He worked in the Uniform Division for seven years before becoming a member of the Major Felony Unit. Harris says organization, good listening skills and the ability to multi-task help to make a good detective. Outside of work, Det. Harris maintains fresh and salt-water aquariums as a hobby.

Det. Michael Hellerman is originally from PA. Prior to joining the DKPD in 2005, he worked as a welder/steel fabricator for seven years. Det. Hellerman worked in the Special Victims Unit before coming to the Major Felony Unit.

Det. Charles Houlroyd is originally from southern NJ. In fact, his first law enforcement job was for the Wildwood Police Dept. on the Jersey shore and his grandfather is retired a member of the NJ State Troopers. “I moved to DeKalb because my wife pursued her Masters Degree at Emory.” Houlroyd was hired by the PD and became a DeKalb County police officer in 2003. Before working Homicide, he worked in the Uniform Division. The best part of Homicide for Det. Houlroyd is “the satisfaction from arresting the most violent criminals.”

Det. David Jackson was born and raised in DeKalb County, GA. Prior to becoming a law enforcement agent in 2005, Jackson worked for UPS and Kroger. In addition to working Homicide, he has spent time in Narcotics, FTD and Patrol. It was during his tenure in Narcotics that he remembers his most memorable case, “It was my first 2 kilogram cocaine drug bust. I’ll never forget it.” As for his most memorable homicide case, it was the double officer shooting from January of 2008.

What people should understand about the job of a homicide detective is that “we work even while everyone else in the dept. is in bed asleep.” Det. Jackson thinks that the greatest misconception of his field of work is that homicide detectives enjoy being around death. This is not the case and in fact being around death can actually be very draining, “but it’s a job that must be done.” It is rewarding when he can send a guilty person to prison, “It means that no one else will die at his or her hands in my community.” Time away from his family can make the job difficult at times.

Det. Jackson likes to workout at the gym, run track and coach t-ball, when he’s not working a case. He has a son and a brother.

Det. Kershaw joined the DeKalb County PD in 2002. Before becoming a homicide detective he worked the Uniform Division and the N.E.T. Team. He was drawn to Homicide by the desire “to arrest criminals who are most dangerous to citizens.” Kershaw believes that determination and attention to detail are key qualities in a detective.

Det. Kershaw served in the US Navy as a diver and in the Boiler Company prior to becoming a police officer. Outside of work, he enjoys running and spending time with his wife and two daughters.

Det. Robert Van Leuven is a native of Michigan. He is a veteran detective and has been an officer for the DeKalb County PD since 1997. In college Van Leuven worked in banking. When Van Leuven moved to the Atlanta metro area, DeKalb was the best agency in Southeast Georgia. He wanted the best training, so he joined the department. Before the Major Felony Unit, he spent seven years in Patrol and three in Narcotics. While in Narcotics, a Homicide Supervisor thought Van Leuven would be a good member of the unit, so he transferred to the Major Felony Unit and started investigating murders. “There is so much to think about during an investigation” that Van Leuven finds it easy to detach himself from the dark side of his job. Determination and commitment are two key ingredients to being a good detective. The hardest part of his job is the long hours away from his family. Det. Van Leuven is married with one daughter. When not investigating a case he likes to spend time with his family and watch sports. Van Leuven can’t picture himself doing anything other than police work, but being “retired and traveling would be nice.”

Det. Philip Lopez is originally from the Sunshine State. He joined the DKPD in 1998 after graduating with a BA in Psychology from Emory University. Before he had the opportunity to investigate homicides, Det. Lopez worked Uniform Division and N.E.T. Patrol, focusing on high-crime areas within his precinct. During his time on the road he participated in a 26-mile police chase to rescue a kidnapped child. The most memorable homicides he has worked are his first assigned case and most recently, a tragic case involving murdered children. He says that while detectives may appear stiff and impersonal on the outside, they do care about the victims and families; the nature of the job requires them to internalize those feelings while investigating a case. Working homicides gives Lopez a chance to “pick the criminal mind.” He believes that perseverance, intelligence, wisdom, and experience make a good detective but it’s “working with my fellow detectives that makes the job enjoyable.” Outside of work, Det. Lopez and his girlfriend spend time scuba diving, hiking, and going to the theater.

Det. Keith McQuilkin has worked in law enforcement since 1989, but joined the DKPD in 2003. He came to the PD because he had been working for a smaller department and was ready for more of a challenge. Before the Major Felony Unit, he worked the South Precinct Uniform Division. His most unforgettable case was that of a missing mother with two children. It took two years to solve, but finally enough evidence was culled together to make for a strong case and it was successfully prosecuted. Cases involving children are always disturbing for McQuilkin. The best part of his job is being able to bring a victim’s family some satisfaction by closing a case. The toughest part is the long hours that can last for days. To be a good detective you must be able to “stay focused and not get distracted by superfluous details unrelated to the case being investigated.” Outside of work, Det. McQuilkin is an avid photographer. In fact, if he wasn’t a detective, he thinks he would pursue scenic, landscape, and wildlife photography as a profession.

Det. Jennifer Miller became a DeKalb County police officer in 2003. Before Homicide, she worked in Patrol and Community Policing. What she hopes others recognize is that Homicide is not like television and detectives are not disgruntled, cynical individuals. The worst part of her job is all the paperwork involved in an investigation.

Det. Neal is originally from the nearby metropolis of Atlanta, but attended high school in DeKalb County. Prior to joining the DeKalb County PD in 2005, Neal spent three years on the force with the Inglewood Police Department in Inglewood, CA and is a retired Navy veteran. His experience includes currently being assigned to the Major Felony Robbery/Homicide Unit, the South and Tucker Uniform Precincts and the Tucker N.E.T. Team.

Det. Doug Paden is a second-generation police officer. His father retired from the Atlanta PD after 30 years of service. Paden joined the DeKalb County PD in 2003. A childhood friend already worked for the department and he was drawn to it. Before Homicide, Paden worked Patrol and Traffic Enforcement. Outside of his homicide cases, Paden’s most memorable case was a carjacking incident that ended in a shootout. What’s great about Homicide is that everyone works as a team and you get to see your cases through to the end. In Homicide, every day brings something new. Det. Paden likes to spend time with his wife and young son when he’s not at work.

Det. Joe Renaud is a native of DeKalb County GA and is following in his father’s footsteps, as he also served as a DeKalb County detective. Renaud joined the PD in 2001. He previously served in the US Marines, worked for the NC Dept. of Corrections and was a law enforcement agent for the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office in GA. Before Homicide, he spent time in the Uniform Division, N.E.T., and DeKalb’s Burglary/Robbery Task Force.

Det. Richards comes from a long line of blue bloods with many members of his family in the Chicago PD. He began wearing a badge for the DKPD in 2004. In addition to the Major Felony Unit, Richards has also worked Uniform and Homeland Security. In his eight years of experience, the day he was one of the first officers to respond to the double shooting of two police officers was one he’ll never forget. He will also remember the case he worked as a detective where a jealous boyfriend killed his girlfriend and their infant child. To deal with the stress that comes with this job, Det. Richards finds the gym is a big help to decompress and in general he is a big fitness advocate. If there was one message he could express it’s that, “We need people to be more involved to try and keep these incidents from happening.” When he is not on the clock, Det. Richards focuses on his family, being a better Christian and staying physically active.

Det. Lynn Shuler is originally from nearby Clayton County. He studied criminal justice in college and has been with the DKPD since 2005. He worked in the East Morning Watch and District N.E.T. Team, before joining the Major Felony Unit. Det. Shuler was also enlisted in the US Navy. Shuler says that he’s always wanted to be a homicide detective and solve mysteries. He has learned from experience that “There is no such thing as an open and shut casethe best part is when you put all the pieces together and solve a case. The worst part is when you don’t.” As a rookie he remembers being the first officer to respond to a triple homicide. Det Shuler is married and he and his wife have just welcomed their daughter to the world. If Det. Shuler wasn’t investigating homicides and other major felonies, he thinks he’d be in the Caribbean teaching scuba diving.

Det. Jeremy Stahl is originally from North Tonawanda NY, not far from Niagara Falls. Ever since he was a child, Det. Stahl has wanted to be a police officer, so he studied criminal justice in college and chose the DeKalb County PD in 2002 because he had an uncle who already lived in the county. Prior to joining the Major Felony Unit, Stahl worked in the Uniform Division. “It can be disheartening how cruel and severe crimes are, but it motivates me to try as hard as I can to close a case with an arrest.” Det. Stahl thinks the biggest misconception about detectives is that they must always be aggressive. On the contrary, “Sometimes there are very compassionate times we share with the loved ones of our victims.” Being able to speak for the victims who can no longer speak for themselves is the best part of his job. Conversely, following leads that don’t work out can be difficult. But the persistence of following a lead wherever it goes helps to make a good detective. Outside of work, Stahl puts his energy into video games and spending time with friends and family. With the exception of his uncle that lives in DeKalb County, Det. Stahl’s entire family still lives in North Tonawanda, NY.

Det. Chris Tappan originally hails from the longhorn state of TX and joined the DeKalb County PD in 2007. He previously worked in the financial sector but was drawn to police work, by “the allure of something different.” Before Homicide, he was assigned to the South Precinct Uniform Division as a patrol officer. Tappan enjoys the camaraderie that Homicide offers and the busy schedule that comes with it. The biggest misconception of being a detective is that “It’s not as glamorous as you might think from movies.” Overall, death and the sometimes gruesome crime scenes don’t burden the detective; he just “doesn’t take it personally.” In his eyes, experience and common sense go a long way to make a good homicide investigator.

Det. Chris Tappan lives with his long time girlfriend and American Bulldog. In his off time he enjoys blue-collar activities. If he wasn’t a police officer, he thinks he would try to be in construction.

Originally from DeKalb County, Det. Wallace joined the police force in 2003 and has been in the Homicide/Robbery division for the past 3 and 1/2 years. Det. Wallace earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Georgia State University. He has received numerous nominations for Detective of the Year during his time with DeKalb County. Prior to joining the Criminal Investigation Division, Det. Wallace worked morning watch, where he enjoyed the fast paced work on the streets. Det. Wallace is the second member of his family to become a DeKalb County Police Officer. Heroically, his uncle was killed in the line of duty in 1976. Prior to police work, Det. Wallace was an automotive technician and a Harley Davidson mechanic. Det. Wallace has been married for 3 years and enjoys restoring classic cars and motorcycles in his free time.

Det. Wallen is originally from New England but has lived in DeKalb County for the past 20 years. Before becoming a police officer in 2006, Det. Wallen worked in a variety of fields, including real estate, computer help desk and the medical field. Since joining the PD, she has worked in Uniform Patrol and the Assault Unit.

Det. Prince Wright is originally from sunny Miami. He has been a member of the DKPD since 2006. Det. Wright lived in many places before settling in DeKalb County. People were always telling him that he should be an officer, thus the rest is history. He says, “It’s been a great experience.” Prior to the Major Felony Unit, Wright worked in Uniform. During that time he was involved in a very memorable high-speed chase. Since joining the Major Felony Unit, the detective’s most memorable case was a double murder where the suspect lived under the victims. The hardest part of his job is contending with the violence that people will commit. On the upside, the most rewarding moment is the face of the victim’s family when you tell them you solved their case. “We work hard and sometimes get attached to these cases when trying to solve them.” In his free time, Det. Wright likes to play video games or work out; he is currently single.

Mekka Parish serves as the Public Information Officer for the DeKalb County Police Department. A Georgia native, she has been with DKPD for the past 4 years.

Monica Lowe is the Senior Investigative Aide for the Assault and Robbery detectives in the MFU. Originally from Michigan, Monica has been with the department for 18 years.

Janice White serves the Domestic Violence detectives as their Senior Investigative Aide. She has been with DKPD for the past three years.