Major Mike Powell began his law enforcement career with the Gwinnett County Police Department in 1973. In 1973, there were 35 officers in the Gwinnett Police Department and the county had a population of 50,000. He resigned in 1997 with more than 24 years of service and spent five years as the President and CEO of a small trucking company. In June of 2002, he was appointed to a Captain’s position in the Gwinnett County Sheriff’s Department by Sheriff Conway. He worked in the Gwinnett County jail as a captain and major before being transferred as the Division Commander of the Field Operations Division in February 2007. He and his wife Diane live in the Lawrenceville area.