West Georgia Technical College (WGTC) is proud to announce that its Police Department has earned full State Certification through the Georgia Law Enforcement Certification Program, placing it among the first group of college police departments in the nation to achieve this recognition as part of a statewide initiative by the Technical College System of Georgia (TCSG).
This milestone comes as all 22 colleges within TCSG—serving 88 campuses across Georgia—earned accreditation through the program, marking the first time a college system in the U.S. has achieved this level of certification system-wide.
“Since my arrival as Chief, the WGTC Police Department has maintained policies and procedures comparable to those of the Carrollton Police Department,” said WGTC Police Chief James Perry. “The certification process strengthened those policies and ensured we meet the current standard of approved practices. Certification not only holds us to a higher standard every day, it also ensures that all aspects of police work are properly documented, trained, and executed to achieve this level of professionalism.”
To earn certification, departments must meet 141 rigorous standards set by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police. WGTC’s process concluded with an on-site evaluation on February 14, 2025, conducted by a trained evaluator who verified compliance with every standard. The Joint Review Committee has officially recognized the WGTC Police Department as a Certified Law Enforcement Agency for the period of April 2025 through March 2028.
The Georgia Law Enforcement Certification Program, administered by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, is considered the gold standard in public safety excellence. Certification is awarded only to agencies that meet rigorous best-practice standards in professionalism, transparency, ethical conduct, community engagement, and operational integrity.
“We take the safety of our college community seriously,” said WGTC President Dr. Julie Post. “This recognition reflects the professionalism of our officers and the dedication they bring to their work every day. We are proud of the WGTC Police Department and their unwavering commitment to ensuring safety across all our campuses.”
