Britney Green serves her community when she’s on duty and when she’s off duty.
“I really enjoy the UGA community, and I enjoy Athens,” she said.
Green joined the University of Georgia Police Department in 2014 as a patrol officer. After a year and a half, she moved to the Criminal Investigation Division, eventually becoming a lieutenant and supervisor of the division. Now, she serves as the department’s professional standards coordinator.
“I always knew I wanted to get into a career where I could help people,” she said. “That’s how I was brought up. My family loves helping others.”
Her role is part of the department’s administrative division. She handles community outreach, leads the recruitment and hiring process and serves as a member of the peer support team. Additionally, she’s the department’s internal affairs investigator.
Even before joining the police department, Green was very familiar with the university. She’s the first one to go into law enforcement, but several family members, including her mother, have worked at UGA.
“It felt like home to apply here,” she said.
Green developed an interest in investigations at a young age.
“I grew up watching all of those detective shows and thought, ‘Maybe one day I can find out what that’s like in real life,’” she said.
Green takes pride in how the police department’s community efforts have expanded. For example, a couple of years ago, the police department began partnering with the Athens Housing Authority to sponsor families during the holidays, collecting funds and items they need.
“I look forward to that every year,” she said. “Just being able to help people — our local community — in that way has been good.”
Britney Green has worked with the department since 2014. (Photo by Chamberlain Smith/UGA)
Policing at a university can be different than policing for a city or county, but they collaborate regularly with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Clarke County Sheriff’s Office. That includes cases and community outreach projects like speaking at local schools and university groups and participating in the Fall Festival, Trunk-or-Treat and Shop with a Cop.
“A lot of people think we only cater to the UGA community, but we look after everyone,” she said.
Green gets to explain the unique traits of university policing as she recruits new officers and guides them through the entire hiring process.
“From the time we look through applications to bringing people in for physical agility tests, conducting their background checks, and up to giving them an offer letter, I play a part in all of that,” she said. “Sometimes it’s hard to make those selections because we have a lot of good candidates.”
Green hasn’t ruled out the possibility of continuing in the law enforcement field as a sworn officer. Currently, she’s studying to assist with the state certification process and considering training to become an assessor to oversee those certifications.
Outside of work, Green also makes time for community service, especially through her church. She lost her brother, who was an associate pastor at Thankful Baptist Church, last year, and her family started a foundation to continue his legacy.
Green strives to give back as much as she can.
“We try to focus on the youth in the community,” she said.
