Forest Park community honors fallen deputy, longtime officer with candlelight vigil
Forest Park honors deputy killed over the weekend
Spalding County Sheriff's Deputy Jamie Reynolds started his career in the Forest Park Police Department, serving there for 25 years and even becoming interim chief. He was killed over the weekend when a tree crashed down on his patrol car. The community remembered him as a gentleman.
FOREST PARK, Ga. - The community in Forest Park came together to honor one of its finest, Jamie Reynolds.
Reynolds, a Spalding County Sheriff’s deputy, was killed on Sunday when a tree fell on his car.
He got his start on Forest Park’s police force at the age of 19, where he served for more than two decades.
"Know that we’re not here today to mourn," said Forest Park Police Chief Nathaniel Clare. "We’re here today to celebrate servant Reynolds’ home going."
On Friday evening, colleagues and members of the community gathered for a candlelight vigil in his memory.
"He was the sweetest, nicest, most decent dude I’ve ever met on the police force," one member of the public said.
Carl Evans, who said he knew Reynolds for 25 years, said it’s been a tough week.
"You couldn’t ask for a better person," Evans said. "He was always there to listen to you."
Before Reynolds became a deputy in Spalding County in 2021, he served Forest Park for 25 years, briefly serving as interim chief.
"He was an individual who was willing to help us when he was our major and our supervisor with anything that we needed," said Forest Park Police Major James Delk. "He always did have a smile on his face."
Reynolds leaves behind a wife, Ashlee, and a daughter Kayla.
His funeral arrangements haven’t been made public.