The UGA Police Department recently attained State Law Enforcement Certification from the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. The certification confirms that the department meets top-level professional standards and has implemented sound policies and effective procedures.
In a March 13 ceremony at the department’s headquarters in the Hodgson Oil Building, Tim Burgess, senior vice president for finance and administration, told the department that the certification is a point of university pride.
“It really is an honor to get this certification. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anybody here, we know we’re a top-flight program, but sometimes you have to do something like this to let other people know,” he said. “It helps parents across the nation and the state to see this certification. It helps them to know that this is a good place and a safe place to send their children. They rely on these types of unbiased certifications, so it’s important that we accomplished this.”
“To me, this is a culmination of what I see every day,” said Jimmy Williamson, chief of police. “This confirms the high level of professionalism we exhibit here on a daily basis.”
To attain certification, the department spent three years working toward meeting and implementing standards set by the GACP. After adopting and implementing new policies, the department was assessed by a joint review committee and found in compliance with standards.
“We’re going to be ready when we have to go through this again in three years,” Williamson said. “This is an ongoing process.”
