Ron Storey, who has been the Cobb County School District Department’s police chief since 2013, has died.
The department announced the news on a social media posting Thursday, but provided no details, saying “Chief Storey was an exceptional leader and individual, who cherished his family and work family.”
The Cobb school district did not disclose a cause of death in response to a message for information from East Cobb News.
A district spokeswoman sent the following response Thursday night:
“Our hearts are saddened by the passing of Cobb Schools Chief of Police Ron Storey, whose decades of service have left a lasting impact on our schools and community.
“Chief Storey dedicated his life to protecting others, serving in law enforcement for nearly 40 years and leading school safety efforts in Cobb for over a decade. His leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to safety made a difference in the lives of countless students, staff, and families.
“We are grateful for his years of service and devotion to keeping our schools safe. His legacy will endure, and our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time.”
The district’s police department has around 80 staffers and sworn officers, many of them assigned to schools as resource officers.
Storey, who was 72, joined Cobb schools in 2013 after serving as a Cobb Police officer and administrator since 1986. He was a graduate of Osborne High School and his children graduated from McEachern High School.
Storey was a former master sergeant in the Georgia Air National Guard and after serving as a patrol officer with Cobb Police, worked his way up to deputy chief.
The Cobb school district did not indicate if a successor has been named. According to the department’s leadership information, the second-in-command is Capt. Wayne Pickett, who like Storey also came from Cobb Police.
Storey’s death comes as the Cobb school district is undertaking a variety of safety initiatives in the wake of a deadly shooting last year at Apalachee High School.
In October the district hired a private security firm with former intelligence and military officials to provide what it calls proactive solutions to address not only potential active-shooter situations but also gang activity, cyberviolence and other safety threats.
Two canine detection teams also will be employed, with another security firm training CCSD officers to work with the dogs who can identify “person-worn or concealed-carried explosives and firearms.”
And in 2022, the district began a policy of hiring non-police professionals to help provide security at schools over the protests from some in the public.
Related:
- Lassiter, Walton, Wheeler students named Georgia Scholars
- Cobb school district to hold college fair
- LGE Community Credit Union announces 2025 scholarship program
- Cobb Schools Foundation honors 2025 volunteers of the year
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