ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — The Dougherty County Sheriff’s Office brought law enforcement officers, first responders, and local families together along the Flint River for the annual Building Unity in the Community Barbecue.

The tradition, which started in 2009, is designed to strengthen relationships between law enforcement and local citizens through food, music, and conversation.

“We’re just keeping on the tradition, trying to build the unity in our community between law enforcement and our citizens,” the sheriff said. “And just have an opportunity to sit down, fellowship, talk about some of the things that’s going on in our community, how we can be better, how we can help assist our citizens, and just bring Albany together as one.”

The event brought together multiple local public safety agencies, including the Albany Police Department and Albany Fire Department, alongside Masonic District No. 11, the Pride of Albany Lodge No. 360, and King Solomon Lodge.

Organizers stressed that creating spaces for fellowship is essential to bridging divides and keeping the community focused on moving forward.

“It’s important to highlight the positives because the positives don’t get talked about,” the sheriff said. “The negatives always pointed out, but the positives never get talked about. So, I want folks to know there are positives in this community, and we’ve got to look at those positives more as those negatives.”

Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message.

To stay up to date on all the latest news as it develops, follow WALB on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and X. For more south Georgia news, download the WALB News app and add WALB as a preferred source on Google.

Copyright 2026 WALB. All rights reserved.