Public Information Office & Community Relations  

The mission of the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Office is to ensure that the community is kept informed in a timely manner about current events, programs and news. The Public Information Officers are the official spokespersons for the department relating to inquiries from the media and other various sources.

Chatham County Sheriff Al St Lawrence recognizes that an important and essential building block of a law enforcement agency is open communication with the public it serves. Sheriff St Lawrence firmly believes this will ensure the confidence, respect and trust of the citizens of Chatham County.

The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office will continue to maintain a close relationship with the residents of the Savannah metropolitan area and the media. This website will allow us to reach out “on-line” to disseminate timely information about department-related activities, programs and newsworthy events that impact the community.  The Public Information Office will continue to provide information that is complete, accurate, and up to date.

Contact the Public Information Office at:
912.652.7613 or 912.652.7682

Director of Public Information & Community Relations  

Michelle Gavin
Director of Public Information & Community Relations

Michelle Gavin joined the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office in 2010 and brings a wealth of media and communication experience to the department.  Gavin was a senior crime reporter for the CBS affiliate WTOC-TV in Savannah.  She has also reported and anchored for news stations in Cheyenne, WY and Terre Haute, IN.  In addition to her news background, Gavin also spent a year as an Admissions Representative for the Savannah College of Art and Design.  She graduated from Indiana University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Broadcast Journalism and minored in Political Science and Public and Environmental Affairs.   Gavin is also a graduate of the University of Georgia’s Carl Vinson Institute of Government Management and Development Program.  Gavin is a native of the Hoosier State.  She is married and has two children.  You can contact Gavin at mgavin@chathamcounty.org.


Public Information Officer  

Corporal Rhonda Bryant-Elleby
Public Information Officer

Corporal Rhonda Bryant-Elleby joined the Public Information Office team in 2011.  She began her law enforcement career with the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office in 2000.  Elleby currently oversees the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office Explorer Post 876 and many community and school outreach programs.   Elleby has held several positions within the Sheriff’s Office.  She was an investigator with Sex Offender Registration and Tracking Unit and the Professional Standards Unit.  Elleby also worked as a Correctional Officer in the Chatham County Detention Center.  She graduated from South College in Savannah, GA.  Elleby is a native of Massachusetts.  She is married and has two children.  You can contact Elleby at

rlbryant@chathamcounty.org