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Georgia Department of Public Safety

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Georgia Department of Public Safety
Georgia Department of Public Safety seal
Georgia Department of Public Safety seal
AbbreviationGDPS
Agency overview
Formed1937
Employees1,440 (2024)[1]
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionGeorgia, U.S.
Georgia State Patrol Troop Map
Size59,425 square miles (153,910 km2)
Population10,711,000 (2024 est.)
Operational structure
HeadquartersAtlanta, Georgia
Troopers859 (2024)[1]
Civilians581 (2024)[1]
Agency executive
  • Colonel William W. Hitchens, III, Commissioner[2]
Child agencies
Website
dps.georgia.gov

The Georgia Department of Public Safety (GDPS) is a state body responsible for statewide law enforcement and public safety within the U.S. state of Georgia. The Commissioner of the department is Colonel William W. Hitchens, III, who also commands the Georgia State Patrol.[2]

Divisions

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On February 28, 1974, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) was made an independent agency separate from the Georgia Department of Public Safety.[3]

The Department of Public Safety cooperates with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), dedicating personnel to joint public safety training programs.[4]

Georgia State Patrol

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The Georgia State Patrol is the highway patrol agency for the U.S. state of Georgia, with jurisdiction spanning the entire state. GSP Troopers primarily operate on the interstate highways and provide specialized support, including SWAT team responses, to local and rural jurisdictions.[5]

A lieutenant colonel serves as commanding officer over field operations; the current Lieutenant Colonel is Kendrick Lowe.[2]

Georgia Capitol Police

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The Georgia Capitol Police Division (CPD) is a specialized division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety tasked with protecting life and property, maintaining public order, and investigating criminal acts throughout the Capitol Hill area of Atlanta, Georgia.[6] The division is directed by a Major, with Major Gary D. Langford serving as the current adjutant and division director.[2]

Operations and Mandate

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Capitol Police officers possess full statewide arrest powers and perform a wide range of law enforcement functions within their sector. Their routine duties include regular vehicle and foot patrols of Capitol Square and streets adjacent to state-owned property, investigating motor vehicle traffic crashes, enforcing traffic laws, and managing street closures for special events.[7] The division is also responsible for managing "Capitol Hill Alerts," an emergency mass notification system utilized by state contractors and government employees working in the downtown complex.[8]

Division Structure

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Operational duties are split across specialized units to secure the downtown campus:

  • Capitol Police Services Unit: Composed of sworn, Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council law enforcement officers who handle active criminal investigations, traffic enforcement, responding to emergency calls, and physical building security within the precinct.[8] This unit also provides specialized courtroom security for the Supreme Court of Georgia and the Georgia Court of Appeals.[7]
  • Capitol Square Security Unit: Staffed by non-sworn Safety Officers and Georgia State Patrol Cadet Troopers. This unit manages access control points, monitors building entrances, and checks identification, while actively screening incoming state mail, commercial deliveries, and public packages.[8]

Agency Collaboration

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Because of the high concentration of government personnel and local traffic, the division regularly operates alongside other state and municipal agencies. The division coordinates closely with the Georgia State Patrol's Post 50 (Capitol Hill Post) to provide unified protection details for elected state officials, visiting dignitaries, and state employees.[8] For broader emergencies, vehicular accidents, or large-scale civil demonstrations within the city center, the division maintains mutual aid and data-sharing agreements with the Atlanta Police Department and local emergency medical services.[9]

Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division

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The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division (CVE)—formerly known as the Motor Carrier Compliance Division (MCCD) prior to statutory restructuring—is responsible for the enforcement of the laws and rules of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.[10]

The division conducts safety inspections of commercial motor vehicles (specifically buses and commercial trucks), inspects highway shipments of hazardous materials, and performs safety performance compliance audits on motor carriers. It enforces regulations governing vehicle height, width, length, and weight parameters across 19 stationary weigh stations and via roadside inspections.[11] Additionally, CVE officers enforce High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane regulations through the metropolitan Atlanta corridor.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. 1 2 3 State of Georgia Budget Report: Fiscal Year 2025 (Report). Georgia Office of Planning and Budget. 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Department of Public Safety Leadership". Georgia Department of Public Safety. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  3. ↑ "GBI History". Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  4. ↑ Staff (March 17, 2025). "ICE to train 1,100 Georgia Department of Public Safety officers". WRDW. Retrieved July 25, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Georgia State Patrol Overview". Georgia Department of Public Safety. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Capitol Police Division Overview". Georgia Department of Public Safety. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  7. 1 2 "About DPS: Capitol Police". Georgia Department of Public Safety. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Capitol Police Division Operations". Georgia Department of Public Safety. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Georgia Capitol Police Operations and Inter-Agency Cooperation". CEO Lawyer Law Firm. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Georgia House Bill 112 - Public Safety; motor carrier compliance division restructuring". General Assembly of Georgia. 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Commercial Vehicle Enforcement". Georgia Department of Public Safety. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
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