ABOUT TED GOLDEN

Special Agent Ted Golden retired after 28 years of service to the United States Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in January 2014. Golden is a 29-year resident of DeKalb County, who earned both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Criminal Justice from the University of Memphis. He is married to Dr. Cynthia L. Golden, a DeKalb County educator. Golden is the proud father of four sons, the three oldest of whom have all earned advanced degrees and followed him into careers in law enforcement. His youngest son is a ninth-grade honor student, attending public school in DeKalb County.

Golden began his law enforcement career as an Intake Officer at the Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Court in 1980. A few months after completing his Bachelor’s Degree, he became a Juvenile Court Probation officer. In 1982 Golden joined the Memphis Police Department. He was hired by the Drug Enforcement Administration in 1985 and was assigned to the San Francisco Field Office. Golden was transferred to Atlanta in 1990 and has held assignments in enforcement operations, intelligence, marijuana eradication, public information, technical operations and special operations, during his 23 years in the Atlanta Office. In addition to becoming proficient at conducting narcotics investigations, Golden became a skilled manager of people, resources, budgets, information systems, communications and media/public relations.

Golden has actively served the community in numerous volunteer and appointed positions, through many years as an involved DeKalb resident. Among these are: serving as a member of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Federal Holiday Commission–National Law Enforcement Involvement Committee; serving as Chair, DeKalb County Schools Public Safety Peer Review Committee; serving as President of the Touchdown Clubs of both Southwest DeKalb High School and Martin L. King Jr. High Schools; serving as a member of the Board of Directors of Southwest DeKalb High School PTSA; serving as a member of the Citizen Advisory Council, DeKalb County School System; serving, since 1998, as Coordinator of the Annual DEA Red Ribbon Week Program with Southwest DeKalb High School and, since 2007, in the same position at Martin L. King Jr. High School; since 2009 serving, formerly as Chair and currently as a member, of the DEA Equal Employment Opportunity Monitoring Committee; currently serving as a Certified Trainer for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Change.

Ted Golden believes that the key to building stronger and safer communities in DeKalb County is a series of proactive measures involving criminal justice reform, our schools, social service organizations and intervention and prevention programs targeting at risk youth who are taking their lives in the wrong direction. Law enforcement is both a proactive and a reactive industry, as well as a social science, Agent Golden has the skill sets and experience uniquely suited to this task.