The Georgia Center for Child Advocacy has awarded the 2018 Nancy Chandler Child Advocate of the Year honor to Sgt. Ernest Britton, a 22-year veteran of the Atlanta Police Department. Britton accepted the award at the GCCA’s 13th annual Change Makers Breakfast on April 19 to raise awareness and funds to help prevent child sexual and physical abuse in Georgia.
 
“Each year, we recognize an outstanding individual who has made significant contributions to championing the needs of children who have been sexually or physically abused,” said Sheila Ryan, CEO of the Georgia Center for Child Advocacy. “It is our privilege to honor Sgt. Britton this year. He serves as a catalyst in our community and continuously inspires others to ensure that all children across our nation are protected from abuse.”
 
A sergeant in the Special Victims Unit of the Atlanta Police Department for the past nine years, Britton has changed the way the Department investigates sexual abuse of children. Due to his role in forming the FBI’s Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force, over 300 children have been rescued and over 20 exploiters have been found guilty or pleaded guilty to charges of human trafficking.  Britton also assisted with the development of the Fulton County Child Abuse/ Commercial Exploited Child Protocol and training for the Atlanta Police Academy. He continues to be a driving force to end abuse, Internet crimes against children and victims of human trafficking.
 
The Change Makers Breakfast is part of the GCCA’s observance of Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. It began with a flag-raising ceremony on April 11 at the GCCA's Fulton County location to honor the 29 children in Georgia who lost their lives to abuse in 2017.