SHIELDS OF SHAME INVESTIGATION | COBB COUNTY, GEORGIA | PRIMARY SOURCE DOCUMENTS
Cobb County Jailer Lost Her Job After Inmate Complaints and a Traffic Stop Involving Her Boyfriend. Georgia POST Later Revoked Her Certification.
Kareemah Sarrie Birchfield worked as a jailer for the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office from November 15, 2021, until February 8, 2023. Records obtained by Shields of Shame document complaints about her conduct toward inmates, a separate conflict of interest investigation involving a traffic stop of her boyfriend, her termination, and a final Georgia POST action revoking her Basic Jailer certification on May 17, 2024.
Important distinction: The criminal investigation into the inmate complaints was classified as unsubstantiated. The internal administrative investigation nevertheless sustained multiple policy violations. The available records do not establish a criminal conviction of Birchfield in this matter.
Complaints Inside the Cobb County Jail
According to the POST investigative narrative, several inmates complained about Birchfield’s unprofessional behavior and comments of a sexual nature. The allegations prompted both criminal and internal investigations. The criminal investigation was closed as unsubstantiated. The sheriff’s office continued to examine alleged policy violations through its internal review process.
Her Boyfriend’s Traffic Stop Raised Another Question
Internal Affairs case 22-30494 described an off-duty encounter in which Birchfield arrived at a traffic stop conducted by Cobb County Police while wearing her Cobb County Sheriff’s Office uniform. The driver was her then-boyfriend, LaUrantz McMullen, whom the POST report describes as a convicted felon from Florida. The report states that he shared a residence with Birchfield and was listed as her emergency contact.
Investigators concluded that Birchfield convinced the arresting officer to permit McMullen to correct insurance and registration issues and release him at the scene. The report also states she later paid to have him bonded out of jail and did not inform her chain of command about the encounter. The supplied summary does not establish the full chronology of the separate release and bond events, so these descriptions should not be read as a complete traffic stop or booking history.
What Birchfield Told the POST Investigator
Birchfield disputed the implication that she had intervened improperly. In a November 17, 2023 conversation summarized by POST, she said she was already traveling to work, explaining why she wore her uniform. She said she did not try to persuade the officer and that the officer chose to remove McMullen’s handcuffs and issue citations. She also said she did not know about McMullen’s felony history until sheriff’s office investigators told her, and maintained that the decision to fire her had effectively already been made when she tried to explain.
Her account is important to the record. It differs from the administrative investigator’s findings, and the available case summary does not include a full transcript of the encounter or the complete investigative evidence.
Five Sustained Policy Violations
The POST narrative reports sustained findings for general conduct, conduct unbecoming, conflict of interest, inspectional services, and inappropriate staff and offender relations. The Conduct Review Board recommended termination, and the sheriff ended Birchfield’s employment on February 8, 2023.
Timeline: From Hiring to Decertification
- November 15, 2021: Birchfield began employment with the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office.
- February 8, 2023: Employment terminated.
- February 9, 2023: Georgia POST investigation opened.
- November 17, 2023: POST investigator recorded Birchfield’s explanation.
- May 17, 2024: POST final action: REVOKE CERTIFICATION.
- October 16, 2026: Shields of Shame reviewed the supplied POST officer profile.
Body Camera Images: The Encounter
These supplied still frames depict Birchfield in a tan Cobb County Sheriff’s Office uniform talking with a uniformed officer beside a Cobb County police vehicle. They illustrate the encounter described in the case materials. Still images alone cannot establish what either person said or the entire sequence of events.
SHIELDS OF SHAME | ORIGINAL VIDEO ARCHIVE
Watch the Traffic Stop and Three Investigative Interviews
Four recordings presented with context from the available records and rough, unverified Adobe transcripts. Interviews are not findings of guilt. The separate roadside release and later jail booking should not be confused.
VIDEO 01 | PRIMARY SOURCE FOOTAGE
Traffic Stop | The Encounter That Raised Questions
Cobb County Police stop LaUrantz McMullen over vehicle insurance and registration issues. His then-girlfriend, jailer Kareemah Birchfield, appears at the scene in her sheriff’s office uniform. Police ultimately permit him to leave rather than towing the vehicle or taking him to jail. Internal Affairs later concluded Birchfield influenced the officer’s decision; she disputed that conclusion.
VIDEO 02 | PRIMARY SOURCE FOOTAGE
Interview One | Inmate Complaints and PREA Questions
In an approximately 11-minute investigative interview, Birchfield is questioned about complaints from female inmates alleging sexually suggestive comments and gestures, as well as her presence near a cell while an inmate used the toilet. She denies inappropriate conduct. The criminal investigation into the inmate allegations was closed as unsubstantiated.
VIDEO 03 | PRIMARY SOURCE FOOTAGE
Interview Two | Jail Calls, Bond Money and Disclosure
In a May 16, 2022 interview, investigators challenge Birchfield about McMullen’s later incarceration, recorded jail telephone calls, $160 provided toward his release through another person, failure to notify supervisors, and discussion of an ongoing investigation. Birchfield offers explanations and acknowledges errors in judgment. This is separate from the earlier roadside release.
VIDEO 04 | PRIMARY SOURCE FOOTAGE
Interview Three | Deputy Kayla James Speaks
In a May 23, 2022 interview, Deputy Kayla James says she recognized McMullen as Birchfield’s boyfriend while fingerprinting him during booking. Investigators ask whether she helped secure his release, why supervisors were not notified, and whether Birchfield discussed her Internal Affairs investigation. James denies assisting with bond and denies receiving specific investigative details.
Editorial note: Interview descriptions are summaries of imperfect automated transcripts, not verified verbatim quotations. Inmate allegations were not substantiated by the criminal investigation; the agency separately sustained administrative violations. The footage and accompanying documents should be considered together.
Read the Primary Records
POST case summary: The investigative narrative explains the inmate complaints, the criminal case disposition, the internal findings, the traffic stop account, and Birchfield’s response. Open the case summary PDF.
POST training and disciplinary profile: The two-page official profile confirms the employment dates, revoked Basic Jailer credential, and May 17, 2024 final sanction. It also records 171 total training hours across 2021 to 2023, including basic jail training, body-worn cameras, emergency vehicle operations, and firearms training. Open the POST training record PDF.
Why This Case Matters
Public accountability requires separating allegations, criminal findings, internal disciplinary conclusions, and professional licensing decisions. An unsubstantiated criminal investigation is not a finding that every workplace allegation was true. Likewise, an agency’s administrative findings can lead to termination and POST sanctions without a criminal conviction. In this case, the official POST profile independently confirms the revocation.
How to Investigate Similar Cases
For related Cobb County investigations, request the complete internal affairs file, complaint intake records, Conduct Review Board findings, termination notice, any applicable traffic stop report, body camera footage, dispatch and CAD entries, and the POST investigation and final order. The public can consult the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office and the Cobb County Police records request information. Different agencies may hold different parts of the record.
Shields of Shame Editorial Note
This report is based principally on the supplied Georgia POST case summary and officer profile. No independent news report corroborating the specific Birchfield case was located during this review. Statements about investigative findings are attributed to the official documents, and Birchfield’s differing account is included. This page may be updated if additional original records become available.
SHIELDS OF SHAME | Police Accountability Through Public Records