Family Statement
“As you can imagine, our hearts are heavy with the sudden passing of our dear Greg. He loved his job and took great pride in protecting and serving the City of Riverdale. We sincerely appreciate all of your prayers, words of encouragement, and reflections. We also thank you for respecting our privacy during this sensitive time. Greg was a great husband, loving father to twin boys and a caring friend. We will miss him dearly.”
Riverdale police Maj. Greg ‘Lem’ Barney was helping Clayton County police officers serve a no-knock warrant at the Villages on the River Apartment Homes about 11:30 a.m. Thursday when chaos unfolded.
Jerand Ross, 24, is accused of shooting and killing Barney, a 25-year-veteran of the Riverdale Police Department.
Here’s more about Barney.
BORN: Lawnside, N.J.
PERSONAL: Married to Lisa.
CHILDREN: Robert and Greg, 15-year-old twin boys.
PROFESSIONAL: Started career as a junior firefighter, then rose to position of captain of the ambulance squad. After relocating to Georgia, Barney briefly worked as a deputy for the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office before joining the Riverdale Police Department in 1990.
Over the next two decades, he advanced through the ranks. He was a school resource officer at Riverdale High School, a sergeant and a captain. At the time of his death, he was commander of the department’s support services division.
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