Hall Co. deputy honored for work on domestic violence cases

GAINESVILLE - A Hall County Sheriff's Office deputy has been recognized for his work in the fight against domestic violence.

The Northeastern Judicial Circuit Domestic Violence Task Force presented the Officer of the Quarter Award to Deputy Travis Turner during its meeting Tuesday at Peach State Bank.

Hall County Solicitor General Stephanie Woodard, who presented Turner with the award, said he is extremely thorough in his reporting of domestic violence incidents, lending a strong element of credibility to the prosecution when those cases go to trial.

Woodard said that thorough reporting was especially evident in one horrifying incident that Turner responded to during the summer of 2013.

"Deputy Turner made digital recordings of all statements and described the victim in detail, which is so helpful when painting a clear picture for the jury," she said.

Woodard said Turner also took meaningful photographs of the victim's injuries and went into detail in his report about the dirt marks on the back of her shirt that were a result of the offender holding her to the ground.

Even though the suspect in the case had fled on foot by the time officers arrived, Woodard said Turner had the wherewithal to call for a K-9 unit, which was able to locate him and return him to the scene.

"As a result, the offender spent 30 days in jail, which is a significant sentence for a domestic violence case," she said.

Turner was humble in his acceptance of the award.

"I just try to do the job that I would expect someone to do for me," he said.

Turner has been a deputy since April 2004. He rose to the rank of Sergeant while working at the Hall County Jail but took a voluntary demotion in August 2010 to serve as a patrol officer because of his desire to have more personal contact with citizens.

The Northeastern Judicial Circuit Domestic Violence Task , which was established in 1993, is a multidisciplinary team made up of members of the court system, law enforcement, community service providers and concerned citizens with a mission to reduce and eradicate family violence in Hall County through education, intervention, and accountability.