Former Morrow police chief dies unexpectedly, community honors career of service

MORROW, Ga. - Flags fly at half-staff outside the Morrow Police Department in honor of former Chief James "Jimmy" Callaway.  

"I think one of the things that makes Chief Callaway unique is that his legacy's going to live on far, far past just his time in the city," said Interim Morrow Police Chief David Snively.

Callaway worked as a captain with Morrow Police for more than 10 years before serving as chief from 2016 to 2020. He later took a job with the Georgia Secretary of State's Office and most recently, the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council.

He was known all over the state for his role as President of the Georgia Gang Investigators Association.  

VIGIL FOR FALLEN GEORGIA DEPUTY

Callaway, 47, passed away unexpectedly Monday while in Savannah for a GGIA conference.

"This association meant everything to him," said GGIA Vice President Jose Ramirez. "He had a passion for teaching and educating officers and prosecutors and whoever wanted to learn about the crisis of gangs in Georgia and the United States."  

One of those he helped teach was Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Vic Reynolds, who was the Cobb County District Attorney prior to joining the GBI. 

"When I was elected district attorney in 2012 and took office in 2013, there weren't many people talking about criminal street gangs, but Jimmy Callaway was one of them," Reynolds recalled.

Reynolds, however, said he spoke to Callaway the day before he died and their conversation was about much more than work.  

"I was talking with him Sunday evening and we were chatting not only about the association, but we both have an affinity for music.  Jimmy was a musician and we were talking about music.  He was talking about his family, his daughters, his wife, and it's going to leave a void, particularly in that area of law enforcement for a while," said Director Reynolds.

Ramirez said Callaway was someone who lifted up others for their accomplishments and never asked for anything in return.  

"You can't describe Jimmy in just one word.  It's difficult," said Ramirez.  "He was a family man.  He had a servant's heart.  He was about this community, about this state and he always invested in people."  

According to Ramirez, multiple law enforcement agencies escorted Callaway's body from Savannah back home to Newnan Wednesday, including the Chatham, Effingham, Bryan and Coweta County Sheriff's Offices, and the Georgia State Patrol, as well as others.  

Ramirez said one of Callaway's daughters works as a school resource officer in Senoia and students at her assigned elementary school lined the street to pay their respects.  

A celebration of life will be held for Chief Callaway Monday at 3:00 p.m. at Crossroads Church in Sharpsburg, Ga.  

Interim Chief Snively said the Clayton County Police Department will handle calls in the City of Morrow during that time to allow the department's 29 sworn officers to attend the services.  

"Our officers will wear mourning bands for the next 30 days.  Typically, we only wearing them during a line of duty death until the day of the funeral, but as a special tribute in honor of his time here, we'll wear them for a full 30 days," said Snively.