Former police officer convicted of child molestation running for Athens-Clarke County commission

By Joe Johnson

A former Athens police officer is seeking to become a county commissioner while awaiting trial for allegedly molesting a child.

Kris Ward was fired from the Athens-Clarke County in 2015 when he came under investigation for allegedly molesting a 13-year-old boy.

An Athens jury found him guilty in 2018 and a judge sentenced him to 55 years in prison.

Ward successfully appealed on grounds of ineffective assistance of counsel during the trial, and the Georgia Court of Appeals agreed and ordered a new trial.

Ward was released from prison in January 2021, and now while the trial is pending, he is running for the Athens-Clarke Commission to represent District 5, where he’s lived since 2008.

He believes he is qualified to serve because he was born, raised and earned a living in Athens.

“I've made friends in every corner of our community. I’ve shared coffee with small business owners, worked beside people doing everything they can to make ends meet, and listened to families who just want to feel seen and supported,” he said.

“I’ve seen what it takes to build something from the ground up and how much courage it takes to keep going when times are tough,” he said. “I’ve also seen how many people in our community struggle to get by while others pour everything they have into keeping their businesses alive and protecting the livelihoods of their workers.”

Ward also believes that his ordeal as a criminal defendant has made him a better person.

“The experience taught me some hard lessons… lessons I wish I’d understood earlier in my career… and it gave me a deeper appreciation for fairness, compassion, and the responsibility that government has to treat every person with dignity and respect,” he said, “Now I want the opportunity to serve this community with honor and to help ensure our local government works for everyone who calls Athens home.”