It was the motoring public that advocated the creation of the Georgia Department of Public Safety. In the early 1930's, there was much concern for the rising death rate on Georgia highways. This concern, increased crime and an insufficient number of law enforcement officers at the local and county levels further revealed the need for a new law enforcement agency.

Members of the General Assembly added to this need with the development of a road system. Also involved in this development were more efficient means of transportation, vehicles with increased power, as well as an increase in the number of vehicles on Georgia roads.

The Assembly also proposed that the state raise money to repair roads by taxing the owners of vehicles in the form of license plates, chauffeurs' badges and a gas tax. In addition, the state enacted traffic laws for the protection of the motoring public.

It was the responsibility of the sheriffs, constables, police and Secretary of State to enforce these laws. During this time, the militia acted as the state law enforcement unit in Georgia. However, a larger, more uniformed body of state law enforcement was badly needed.

There were several attempts, in the early 1930's, to bring about a state patrol. However, year after year, bills proposing the establishment of a state patrol unit died in the House and Senate.

In 1936, Ed Rivers was elected Governor of Georgia, and one of the planks in his platform was the creation of a state highway patrol. In January of 1937, during a special ten-day session of the General Assembly, two bills were introduced to create a Georgia State Patrol.

House Bill 18, the 220th Act of the General Assembly, was signed into law March 19, 1937. The Act created and established the Department of Public Safety, to be part of the executive branch of Georgia government. The three divisions of the DPS were to include (1) a uniformed division, known as the Georgia State Patrol (2) a division of criminal identification, detection, prevention and investigation and (3) a division to license drivers.

The State Patrol was to contain one troop of no less than 80 men with provisions to increase to 120 men. Salaries ranged from $1,200 per year for a Trooper 2nd Class to $2,400 per year for a Captain. The Department was to appoint a Commissioner of Public Safety who would hold the rank of Major, and all members of the Georgia State Patrol, except the Commissioner, were to be reappointed every three years. They were subject to removal or suspension for cause.

Major John O. Carter, a former military cavalry officer, was appointed as acting Commissioner in June of 1937. The first permanent Commissioner of the DPS, Mr. Phillip Brewster, was appointed in September, 1937, and Mr. Lon Sullivan was appointed Deputy Commissioner in April, 1938.

For the enlisted members of the Georgia State Patrol, temporary headquarters were set up at a hotel in Atlanta and recruitment began. The first troopers were to be at least 5'10" and weigh at least 155 lbs. Approximately 3,000 men applied for the job of State Trooper, but only 102 were picked. From those 102, only 80 would become members of the Georgia State Patrol.

The first Trooper School began on Sunday, July 26, 1937, at Georgia Tech. Classes included Georgia motor laws, geography and counties of the state, firearms, police courtesy, court and legal procedures, regulations of highway traffic, and care of motor vehicles. The 80 Troopers graduated from Trooper School August 28, 1937, and were given one week of leave.

One week after graduation, the Troopers returned to Atlanta to receive their uniforms and firearms. The uniforms were Confederate gray and the sidearms were Colt revolvers, valued at $27 each. The first vehicles were 1937 Fords with bulletproof windshields. They were gun metal in color with orange letters. The state bought 33 of these vehicles for $710 each.

The 1937 Ford was equipped with an 85 horsepower, V-8 engine. The engine's power was transferred to the wheels by a 3-speed standard shift transmission. Three of the 33 patrol cars were assigned to each patrol post across the state.

The uniformed division was to perform all duties in checking motor vehicles in the state to see that they were properly licensed and not overloaded, and in enforcing the provision of the laws of Georgia, including the proper licensing of drivers. The division was also to enforce the driver's license laws of the state and if a license was ordered suspended, revoked, or canceled, notification was given to the uniformed division to recall the license from the holder.

The state was divided into 10 strategic areas with eight or nine men at each station. The stations were: (1) Griffin, (2) Cartersville, (3) Gainesville, (4) Madison, (5) Americus, (6) Moultrie, (7) Perry, (8) Washington, (9) Swainsboro and (10) Waycross. Headquarters for the State Patrol was the Old Confederate Soldiers' Home in Atlanta.

In the first four months of the State Patrol's operation, the Troopers recovered nearly 30 stolen vehicles, assisted in breaking up small crime rings, and obtained more that 300 convictions. There was a decline in traffic deaths in the first year of operation, and in the following year, traffic deaths dropped by one-third.

One of the early problems the State Patrol faced was the lack of communication between troopers and their posts. Before the two-way communications system was set up, it was necessary for troopers to go by certain Post Offices to sign a log book in the presence of the Postmaster in order to show their location on certain days at specified times. The only communication the Troopers had between each other was a crude "red-flag system" they devised in conjunction with several gas stations. If the troopers were needed on patrol, certain gas stations would hoist a red flag if there was a call or an accident, alerting the trooper to call his post. By the end of the 1930's, the Department began to bring experimental A.M. radio stations to patrol posts throughout the state.

The hours were very long for the first troopers of the State Patrol. Troopers worked until their job was completed, and many days lasted 15 to 18 hours. Patrols would average 500 miles per day. Troopers were given only four days off per month, but the days could only be taken two at a time.

The first Georgia State Patrol Trooper killed in the line of duty was Sgt. W. F. Black. Black and Trooper Bass Farr were on patrol a few days before Christmas, 1940, near the town of Ringgold in northwest Georgia. The two troopers stopped a vehicle, driven by an escapee from Missouri, on a lonely two-lane road.

The escapee waited, gun in hand, while Black approached the vehicle. In the dark, there were two quick flashes from the escapees handgun. The first hit Black in the groin, knocking him backward, and the second hit him in the chin and chest as he fell to the pavement. Farr quickly tried to get Black to a hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Unfortunately, Black died somewhere around the Tennessee-Georgia state line.

Armed with full arrest powers, Georgia and Tennessee State Troopers searched for the escapee. The troopers became involved in a chase with the suspect on Christmas day around 5 p.m. The suspect crashed his vehicle, but again eluded police. However, he was apprehended about one hour later as Troopers tracked him.

Since December of 1940, 26 troopers have given their lives in the line of duty.

The Department of Public Safety began to expand during the 1940's. The Drivers License Bureau issued licenses by mail, requiring applicants to take tests every two years to renew. Citizens of Georgia could drive on the family plan, costing the head of the house $1, the spouse 50 cents and minor children (over 15 years of age) 25 cents.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was also established in the early 1940's. The GBI was founded to assist all law enforcement officers. The Bureau was also responsible for processing fingerprints, handling investigations, and collecting other data.

Many of the state's troopers were called to serve when World War II began. Those troopers who were left behind were requested to become military escorts for soldiers and their equipment.

After the war ended, the State Patrol was slow in regaining its strength. By 1946, troopers were called upon to help protect various people, offices and state property in the Capitol Building. Postwar reconstruction brought new roads, additional traffic and a higher rate of crime. Within five years, however, the budget of the Georgia State Patrol tripled.

By 1950, the Department had begun to expand in all levels. A communications system was put into place, and a safety education program was formed. For the first time, the salary of a trooper nearly doubled. The success of the Department of Public Safety and the Georgia State Patrol led to a relocation of it's headquarters. In 1957, the troopers moved out of the Old Confederate Soldiers Home and into their new headquarters building on Confederate Avenue in Atlanta. Renovation of the patrol posts began. However, it would take until 1973 before the new patrol barracks were completed.

The beginning of the 1960's offered new challenges for troopers. The Motor Vehicle Inspection (M.V.I.) Law went into effect in the early part of the decade. The stated passed a law which would help troopers remove unsafe and defective vehicles from the roads and highways in the state.

Georgia State Troopers not only witnessed the rise of the Civil Rights Movement during the ‘60s but were also called upon to assist in the protection of the marchers, demonstrators and spectators.

Multi-lane highways were introduced, and radar was used as an attempt to stop the tragedy of traffic death on the roads. The speed limit was now 70 miles per hour. The job of protecting the roads and the citizens of Georgia grew more challenging and more intense.

In 1966, the Georgia Police Academy opened in Atlanta. This complex served as the new site for training State Troopers. Before this site opened, training was completed at universities and colleges throughout the state including Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia, and also at the Patrol Station in Madison.

More new problems challenged the Georgia State Patrol during the 1970's. Drugs became rampant in the state. New substances were not familiar to the troopers, making it difficult to detect and locate various types of drugs on individuals. These problems forced the State Troopers back into the classroom to learn the improved methods and techniques for dealing with interdiction. Troopers became more aware of drugs and their effects on the Georgia society.

In 1978, the Department hired Mary Nell Arrington, Francis V. Bennett, Ira Nell Koran and Nancy Kay Pickett to become the first female troopers. Today, there are 34 female troopers employed by the Georgia State Patrol.

Throughout the decade of the 1980's, troopers were faced with problems of drug enforcement, transportation of illegal or foreign substances, changing environments, civil liabilities, court ruling and federal intervention in the area of hours and wages. However, through educational training and work experience, Georgia State Troopers were able to handle any task with confidence.

In 1983, the Special Patrol Enforcement and Accident Reduction Squad (SPEARS) was created to battle the DUI problem in the Atlanta area. The seven-man unit patrolled the downtown metro area to aid primarily in the DUI problem.

The Democratic National Convention in July of 1988 required the presence of 420 troopers for two weeks in July. Their mission was to provide security for the Georgia World Congress Center. Every post in the Georgia State Patrol furnished troopers for the convention detail, while simultaneously continuing traffic enforcement throughout the state of Georgia.

The 90's have brought many new challenges and opportunities for the Georgia State Patrol. In March, 1993, a late winter snow storm, which later would be called the "storm of the century", paralyzed much of north and central Georgia. It was the weekend when troopers were called upon to pull stranded motorists to safety as well as the Aviation Unit flying rescue missions to locate people caught by the unexpected storm. In July 1994, many communities of south Georgia were ravaged by torrential rains dropped by Tropical Storm Alberto. The floods of July, 1994 will be remembered as the single largest crisis response ever, with more than 400 Department members assisting in the flood relief efforts. Troopers from all parts of Georgia were placed on detail in the flood-ravaged areas and performed admirably. Governor Zell Miller praised the Trooper efforts during graduation ceremonies for the 68th Trooper School.

"These past two weeks, I have seen the Georgia State Patrol in its finest hour. Everywhere I've been, the troopers have been there doing more than their part," Gov. Miller commented. "I am pleased and proud."

Nearly 200 members of the Department participated in the security detail for the 1994 Super Bowl between the Dallas Cowboys and the Buffalo Bills at the Georgia Dome. Members performed duties ranging from monitoring protest groups, crowd control, and traffic control to team escorts and VIP protection.

During the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay, the Georgia State Patrol provided a security escort for the Olympic Flame in the United States from Los Angeles to the Opening Ceremonies in Atlanta. Troopers served as escorts for the Flame and Torch Runners in both marked cars and by foot alongside the Flame. In the U.S., the Flame traveled by land, air and water on a variety of conveyances.

Beginning April 27, 1996, the Flame traveled over 15,280 miles in 84 days, visiting 43 states and over 335 cities. The DPS' oversight and coordination for the Olympic Torch Relay was necessary to ensure a safe and expeditious journey for this special event.

Once the Olympic Flame reached Atlanta and the Centennial Olympic Games were underway, many months of planning came together for the largest security detail ever in Georgia. Troopers from every post in the state were called on to provide personnel for security at the various state-owned venue sites, transportation and general traffic enforcement, as well as dignitary protection and escorts. One of the additional responsibilities for Troopers was the safe transportation of athletes from dormitories to practice sites to the venues.

For the last five decades, the Georgia State Patrol has progressed not only with troopers patrolling in vehicles but also in aircraft and helicopters. Through modern technology, troopers were introduced to rescue operations, manhunts, air tactics, and bird's eye views of traffic accidents. Troopers were also trained to detect and destroy illegal, foreign and domestic substances with the help of aviation.

Today, the Georgia Department of Public Safety employs approximately 858 Troopers, 246 Radio Operators, 334 License examiners and 530 civilian employees. The Patrol has come a long way from the first 80 Troopers selected in 1937.

The Georgia State Patrol has 48 patrol posts, each assigned several counties in the state. It also has 63 Drivers License Examination Stations, along with satellite Drivers License Renewal Stations located inside Kroger grocer stores.

Through the accomplishments in the last 60 years, the Department of Public Safety and the Georgia State Patrol have proudly lived up to their theme: