WTOC Salutes Our Heroes: Chatham County names Raymond Mercer Detective of the Year

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - If you’ve ever reported a crime in Chatham County and waited for answers, there’s a good chance your case crossed Detective Raymond Mercer’s desk. The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office has named Mercer its Detective of the Year, recognizing both his results and his commitment to service.

From the Marines to a life of public service

Mercer’s career began in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he served for six years and deployed to Iraq.

“I was in the Marines for six years and um, got one combat deployment to Iraq,” Mercer said. “They were trying to put a new prime minister in place. So, you can imagine how that was going.”

After leaving the military, Mercer continued that same mission-driven mindset in law enforcement, first with Savannah Police.

“I applied down here and got picked up by Savannah Police,” he said.

Making detective in under two years

After a brief break from law enforcement in 2020 and 2021, Mercer joined the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office—then quickly rose through the ranks. He became a detective in under two years.

“I had a couple cases come in and made some good things happen,” Mercer said.

That momentum helped earn him this year’s Detective of the Year award, though Mercer is quick to share credit.

“Like Sheriff Coleman always says, not one person can do this alone,” Mercer said.

Sheriff Coleman: “He has been going a hundred miles per hour.”

Sheriff Richard Coleman says Mercer has taken on some of the office’s toughest work—and delivered answers.

“He has been going a hundred miles per hour,” Coleman said.

“We’ve challenged him with more of our severe cases and he’s been able to bring resolve to these cases, bring closure to a lot of families and find a happy medium with a lot of incidents,” Coleman added.

And while Coleman believes Mercer’s trajectory is still rising, he joked there may not be a ceiling.

“Does that include your job? No, not at all. I don’t think the sky goes that high,” Coleman said. “But I do wish him well in whatever other endeavors he wants to do.”

“Just show up… and serve.”

For Mercer, the recognition comes back to a simple idea: do the job, do it well, and show up for the community every day.

“Most of us come out and do a really good job every day that we come in,” Mercer said.

Sheriff Coleman says he can’t think of anyone more deserving of the honor—while Mercer says it’s simply part of the job he swore to do.