Born and raised in NYC, Assistant Chief Obed Ford has always wanted to make a difference. He champions the weak and opposes bullies. In 1988, he joined the U.S. Department of Justice as a federal correctional officer working various high-level details. He became a member of the Special Operation Response Team (SORT) and was selected “Rookie of the Year”.

In 1990, he joined the Nassau County Sheriff’s Department N.Y., where he displayed a drive and tenacity that earned him special assignments. He was a member of the hostage negotiations team and was assigned to high-risk inmate housing units. He was eventually promoted to investigator in the Sheriff’s Bureau of investigations Criminal Investigations Unit, where he participated in inmate/visitor criminal conduct and fugitive investigations.

In 1998, he was promoted to Senior Investigator and assigned to the Internal Affairs Unit and attached to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office Special Investigations Section, where he worked on complex investigations involving serious misconduct by sworn and civilian employees related to drug smuggling, abuse, theft and death in custody. He assisted the FBI in successfully prosecuting several correction officers for the beating death of an inmate. These investigations included working with U.S. Customs and covert surveillance. In 2001, he was part of the Sherriff’s Departments Search and Rescue Team assigned to the 911/ Ground Zero location in NYC.

In 2002, he moved to Atlanta, Georgia, and joined the MARTA Police Department, where he advanced through patrol and became a field training officer before being promoted to detective and sergeant and eventually retiring in 2016. A year later, his love for the “JOB” led him to Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, where he was a Grand Jury and Complaint Room investigator and worked in Non-Complex and Special Investigations. He was assigned to the Mobile Outreach Center for Homicide Victim family visits with VWAP.

In 2021, he worked in the Major Crimes Division under Madam DA Willis. Shortly afterward, he became a Senior Investigator in the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Divisions. DA Willis promoted Ford to his current position in 2023.

An avid photographer, Ford is working on getting his photographs published. He truly believes that “at the end of the game, both the Pawn and the King go back into the same box.” So be honest, be kind, work hard and stay loyal because relationships matter.