Braselton Police Chief Arrested on Stalking and Misuse of Technology Charges

Braselton, Jackson County, GA (November 19, 2025) – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has arrested Braselton Police Department Chief Michael Steffman, 49, following a multi-month investigation into alleged misconduct.

Steffman faces charges including Violation of Oath by a Public Officer, Stalking, Harassing Communications, and multiple counts of Misuse of Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Systems. The investigation, requested by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, found that Steffman allegedly misused the ALPR technology to harass and stalk multiple individuals.

Chief Steffman was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Jackson County Jail. The investigation is ongoing, and additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Steffman had been with the department in a variety of roles since 2005 and was hired as Police Chief in April 2025 after serving an Interim Police Chief since 2024. He has announced his retirement and resignation from the police department. Zach Tiller has been appointed as the Interim Chief of Police.