Habersham County school resource officer arrested, GBI says

HABERSHAM COUNTY, Ga. - A former Habersham County School Resource Officer, David Matthew Jackels, 47, was arrested on Oct. 9, following an investigation by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). 

He faces charges of Violation of Oath of Office by a Public Officer and False Statements, according to the GBI. 

The investigation began in February 2024, after Sheriff Joey Terrell requested an inquiry into Jackels' interactions with students.

Jackels has been booked into the Habersham County Detention Center. The case will be reviewed by the Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney for prosecution.

According to NowHabersham.com, Jackels was a school resource officer at Wilbanks Middle School. He was reportedly fired after an internal investigation revealed he sent messages to a student. 

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Cleveland, GA at (706) 348-4866. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.