Sheriff Greg Countryman Receives 39th Annual Alpha Phi Alpha 2025 Unity Award

On Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, the men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., Delta Iota Lambda Chapter presented their annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Award to Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman.

Countryman was born in Plains, Ga. He and his family moved to Columbus after his father was stationed at Fort Benning, now Fort Moore. Countryman is a family man. He is happily married to his wife Angela Countryman. They’ve been blessed with three sons: Christopher, Gregory Jr. and William.

​Countryman was educated in the Muscogee County School District. He struggled with education and learning early because he said he suffered with a learning disability. He had trouble reading and comprehending, but this never stopped him.

He said it never hindered his love and faith in God. Today, he holds two undergraduate degrees, a master of public administration, a master of theology/ministry, a doctor of philosophy in Christian counseling.

He is the highest ranking African American law enforcement official in Muscogee County, and has accomplished many things since first being elected marshal in 2004 and sheriff in 2020.

One of those accomplishments is the development of the Junior Marshal Program for middle school students in the community.

Since its inception in 2005, the program has worked with nearly 2,000 middle school students with a 100 percent success rate. He and his wife share a love for kids. They even served as foster parents while having three kids of their own for many years.

Sheriff Countryman is a member of several organizations to include Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., Electric City Masonic Lodge #322, American Legion Lodge 267 S.A.L member, Fraternal Order of Police, National Organization of Black Law Executives, Police Benevolent Association, and the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.

Countryman began his first term as Sheriff on January 1, 2021. He was re-elected to a second term n 2024.