Executive Director’s Message

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had a happy holiday season and that you are ready for a busy 2025.

I wanted to review what we accomplished in 2024:

We added one new employee to the office staff in 2024.   Natalie Gambrell was hired in May to serve as our member relations associate. She will also be handling our website, social media outreach, publications and marketing.

We also welcomed one new member to the Executive Board in July 2024.  Thomaston Police Chief Mike Richardson was elected by the membership to be the Fourth Vice President.

Eight (8) retired chiefs were awarded Life Membership in 2024. They are Franklin Allen, Michael Anchor, Donnie Bolemon, Terry Davis, Rick Glavosek, Billy Grogan, Freddie Hill, and Tony Lucas.

GACP conducted five (5) sessions of the Chief Executive Training Program, known as “Chiefs’ School”, in 2024. 153 students (65 chiefs and 88 command staff members) completed CETP, each receiving 60 hours of training. A total of 1,100 members and 287 exhibitors attended the Winter and Summer Training Conferences. There were 168 attendees at the 2024 Administrative Assistant’s Seminar at Jekyll Island, which established a new record.

The 2025 Spring Training Conference will be held in Duluth on April 8^th – 10th, and the 2025 Fall Training Conference will be held in Savannah on September 14^th – 18th. 

In 2024, GACP conducted 13 promotion processes for lower positions for eight (8) agencies in which 80 candidates were assessed. In addition, GACP conducted eight (8) promotion assessments for chief executives that had 29 candidates.

The 2023 Annual Agency Data Collection Report (AADCR) was submitted by 220 agencies during the first quarter 2024, leading to a comprehensive report sorted by agency district, size, and type. Information about completing the 2024 AADCR will be going out to agencies in January. While completion of the report is mandatory for state-certified agencies, I encourage all agencies to participate this year.

The Certification Program continues to increase in numbers, with 176 agencies having obtained or maintained their certification status. In 2024, there have been more than 44 different separate agency on-sites for certification or recertification, and at least 11 new agencies have signed contracts and entered the program. Training was provided during each Chiefs’ School session, the Georgia Police Accreditation Coalition’s Summer Conference, and several manager classes were provided at GACP. There will be additional training offered in 2025.

Our membership continues to grow. At the end of 2024, our membership included 1,897 individuals (642 chief executives, 636 command staff, 431 professional members, and 188 life members).

In November 2024, GACP acquired a larger, 15,000 square foot office building in Peachtree Corners to replace our current 5,000 square foot building. Upon completion of the renovation project (estimated to be in Summer 2025), we will move approximately five miles to the new location.

We were able to accomplish all of this in 2024 through the dedication and professionalism of our staff and the Executive Board. I want to personally thank each one of them for their dedication and commitment to GACP.

And finally, thank you to all our members. At the recent 2024 IACP Conference in Boston, GACP was seen as a leading association among state associations of chiefs of police. Your continuing support and interest are what makes GACP successful.