Lieutenant Ranetta Cruse was born and raised in Post, Texas. She earned her Master's degree in Public Administration from Reinhardt University.

Lt. Cruse began her career in law enforcement more than 14 years ago as a Security Forces Officer in the U.S. Air Force. After being honorably discharged from the military, she moved to Kuwait, where she spent four years serving as a Field Training Officer and the supervising Security Forces Senior Sergeant. In these roles, she trained more than 3,000 personnel on the search and seizure of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and supervised 32 team members who operated the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection Systems (VACIS) across four military installations throughout Kuwait.

In 2012, Lt. Cruse returned to the United States and settled in Johns Creek, GA, where she established a home for herself and her son. Before joining the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, she served as a patrol officer with the City of Lilburn Police Department, Stone Mountain Police Department, and the Fulton County Police Department.

Since joining the FCDAO, Lt. Cruse has worked with the Anti-Corruption Unit, served as a training officer in Case Intake, and now holds the role of Lieutenant in the Special Victims Division. In this capacity, she continues to demonstrate her dedication to justice, leadership, and public service.