Patrick "Pat" Labat is an American law enforcement officer and the 28th Sheriff of Fulton County, whose handling of conditions inside the Fulton County Jail has drawn sustained national press coverage, multiple inmate-death lawsuits, and a federal civil rights investigation by the United States Department of Justice.[1][2] A member of the Democratic Party, Labat took office on January 1, 2021.
Patrick Labat | |
|---|---|
| Sheriff of Fulton County | |
| Assumed office January 1, 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Theodore Jackson |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 5, 1967 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Jacki Labat |
| Children | 4 |
| Clark Atlanta University (BA) Columbus State University (MPA) | |
| Occupation | Law enforcement officer |
Early life and education
editLabat was born on October 5, 1967, in Atlanta, Georgia.[3] He was raised in Atlanta and graduated from Frederick Douglass High School. He attended Clark Atlanta University, earning a Bachelor of Arts, and later completed a Master of Public Administration from Columbus State University.[4]
Law enforcement career
editLabat began his career in public safety in 1988 as a corrections detention officer, working overnight shifts while attending college during the day. He spent more than three decades moving up the ranks within the City of Atlanta Department of Corrections.[4]
In 2010, he was appointed Chief of the City of Atlanta Department of Corrections, a position he held for a decade until his retirement from the city department in December 2019.[4]
Fulton County Sheriff
editIn 2020, Labat ran for Fulton County Sheriff to succeed retiring incumbent Theodore Jackson, defeating Jackson in the Democratic primary runoff before winning the general election unopposed.[5] He was sworn in as the 28th Sheriff of Fulton County on January 1, 2021.
Labat's first term drew national attention when, in 2022, he oversaw security for the special grand jury convened in Fulton County to investigate alleged interference by Donald Trump and his allies in Georgia's 2020 election results.[2]
On May 21, 2024, Labat won the Democratic primary against three challengers,[2] and on November 5, 2024, he won re-election to a second four-year term, defeating Republican challenger Charles Rambo in the general election.[6]
In 2026, Labat made local political headlines by endorsing challenger Mo Ivory over incumbent Robb Pitts in the Democratic primary runoff election for Fulton County Commission Chairman; Ivory went on to defeat Pitts in the June 16, 2026 runoff.[7][8]
Inmate deaths and DOJ investigation
editConditions inside the Fulton County Jail during Labat's tenure have been the subject of multiple lawsuits and a federal civil rights investigation. In September 2022, inmate Lashawn Thompson died in the jail's psychiatric wing in a cell infested with insects and bed bugs; Fulton County later agreed to a $4 million settlement with his family, and Labat said in a statement that his office remained committed to reforms so that "something like this never happens again."[9] In April 2023, Labat asked three high-ranking officials, including chief jailer John Jackson, to resign amid the fallout from Thompson's death.[2]
Following a series of additional inmate fatalities, the Civil Rights Division of the United States Department of Justice launched a 16-month investigation into the jail, beginning in July 2023.[1] The investigation concluded with a report alleging that the sheriff's office failed to adequately protect detainees from violence, including stabbings, sexual abuse, and killings.[6] Fulton County and the Sheriff's Office subsequently signed a federal consent decree on January 6, 2025, agreeing to implement infrastructure and safety reforms.[10]
Lawsuits
editLabat and the sheriff's office have been named as defendants in numerous lawsuits alleging mistreatment of inmates. In August 2024, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on three pending suits: a wrongful-death claim over the fatal September 2022 stabbing of inmate Dino Walker, a wrongful-death claim brought on behalf of Christina Brown, who died of fentanyl toxicity in November 2022, and a federal civil rights suit brought by Trevis Bufford, who alleged he was shackled in an overcrowded cage and beaten by a jail sergeant in October 2023.[2] The Bufford suit alleged that Labat and his former chief jailer had a pattern of failing to discipline deputies for excessive force.[2]
In April 2026, civil rights attorney Ben Crump held a press conference concerning Rashaad Muhammad, a detainee who required the amputation of his fingers and lower legs after alleged medical neglect inside the facility.[1] Following the press conference, a bipartisan group of Fulton County commissioners called on Georgia Governor Brian Kemp to investigate the sheriff's office.[1]
Budget and procurement
editLabat has requested additional funding from the Fulton County Board of Commissioners to build a new jail facility, citing staff shortages and aging infrastructure.[10] In April 2024, his office's $200,000 purchase of a custom Mercedes-Benz Sprinter mobile command van without a competitive bidding process drew public criticism, as did separate questions raised about the office's use of the jail's Inmate Welfare Fund.[11]
Personal life
editLabat lives in the Midwest Cascade neighborhood of Southwest Atlanta with his wife, Jacki. They have a blended family of four adult children.[4]
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 Brumback, Kate (April 30, 2026). "Man says severe medical neglect at problem-plagued jail in Atlanta resulted in amputations". Associated Press. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Gaines, Jim (August 15, 2024). "Fulton sheriff targeted in more lawsuits". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Patrick Pat Labat | AJC/ACC Voter Guide - Local & Legislative Questionnaire". Branch Politics. April 26, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 Gaines, Jim. "Fulton sheriff wins primary runoff needed for commission seat". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ↑ "New Fulton County sheriff plans to hire deputies, fix up notorious jail". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. August 21, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- 1 2 "Fulton County sheriff, commission chairman respond to DOJ findings on jail". 11Alive. November 14, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Ivory camp dominant as final precincts report". FOX 5 Atlanta. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Mo Ivory ousts Rob Pitts in Democratic Fulton commission chair runoff election". Atlanta News First. June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ↑ "Fulton County settles with family of jail inmate who died covered in bed bugs". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. August 2, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- 1 2 "Atlanta Jail Boasts Improvements Since Consent Decree, Reports from Monitor and ACLU Are More Critical". Prison Legal News. May 1, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ↑ Proctor, Aungelique (April 22, 2024). "Fulton County sheriff faces backlash over $200K sprinter van purchase". FOX 5 Atlanta. Retrieved June 17, 2026.