Bartow Sheriff's Deputy Battling Brain Cancer

CARTERSVILLE, GA — Lt. Robert Moultrie with the Bartow County Sheriff's Office is used to battling criminals on the streets who are flippant about their activities that could bring harm to their neighbors. However, Moultrie is now facing an unfamiliar foe that could be just as harmful.

Moultrie, the lieutenant with BCSO's Criminal Investigation Division and the department's SWAT commander, is battling brain cancer, and a fundraiser is underway to rally the community behind the veteran deputy and his family.

In December, Moultrie was diagnosed with glioblastoma, a tumor that forms on the brain or spinal cord. According to the Mayo Clinic, the tumor can form at any time during a person's life, but often appears in older adults. It's an aggressive disease, and "can be very difficult to treat and a cure is often not possible," the Mayo Clinic adds.

According to a post shared to the Georgia Law Enforcement Facebook page, the lieutenant had brain surgery last month to remove the tumor and is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. His wife, Regena, said he expects to remain on chemotherapy for at least a year to keep the tumor from reappearing.

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"We have no idea how much this will cost or if our insurance will even cover it, so we have started a fundraiser selling T-shirts that he designed himself to help cover costs of treatments as well as travel costs," she added. "We drive over 100 miles every day to and from his treatments."

Bartow County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Sgt. Jonathan Rogers, who said Moultrie is the leader of the agency's Search and Recovery Team, noted others are filling in for him while he undergoes treatment.

Regena Moultrie said her husband has worked for the sheriff's office for 26 years. Before joining BCSO, Moultrie was a special operations sniper for more than 10 years with the United States Marine Corps.

His public safety comrades were also by her side on the day of his surgery, Regena Moultrie added. The family can "never express our gratitude enough" to the Bartow County Sheriff's Office in its show of unity and compassion for her husband, as they "have truly been there for us since his initial diagnosis," she said.

"Law enforcement is truly a family, and we have witnessed this first hand," she added.

You can consider purchasing a T-shirt or making a donation by clicking here.

Image via Regena Moultrie