Georgia State Patrol

The Georgia State Patrol (GSP) is the highway patrol agency for the U.S. state of Georgia. The GSP has statewide jurisdiction with the exception of federal military installations. The Georgia State Patrol is a division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

GSP troopers primarily operate on the long stretches of interstate highway and provide SWAT team response to rural areas of the state. A Major serves as the commanding officer of field operations. Commissioner Bill Hitchens is the Chief Executive of the Department of Public Safety and holds the rank of Colonel in the Georgia State Patrol. The units assigned to the Commissioner for direct supervision are Legal Services and Special Investigations.

The Georgia Department of Public Safety was created in 1937 and oversees the day-to-day operation of the Georgia State Patrol (GSP), Capitol Police and the Motor Carrier Compliance Division (MCCD). GSP troopers investigate traffic crashes and enforce traffic and criminal laws on the state's roads. Capitol Police officers prevent and detect criminal acts, and enforce traffic regulations throughout Capitol Hill. MCCD officers conduct safety inspections of commercial motor vehicles and inspect highway shipments of hazardous materials.

The Georgia State Patrol provides the security of the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House and their families.