05 LC 98
0232
Senate
Resolution 179
By:
Senator Hill of the 4th
A
RESOLUTION
Honoring
Colonel William "Bill" Hitchens, Jr.; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
on January 9, 2003, Governor-elect Sonny Perdue appointed Colonel William "Bill"
Hitchens to become the first Director of the Georgia Office of Homeland
Security; and
WHEREAS,
Colonel Hitchens's career spans more than 35 years of government service in the
military and state law enforcement; and
WHEREAS,
he served four years in the Marine Corps, which included a 13 month stint in
Vietnam and served 28 years on the Georgia State Patrol; and
WHEREAS,
throughout most of his career with the Georgia State Patrol, Colonel Hitchens
maintained a parallel career with the Coast Guard Reserve from which he retired
in 2000 with the rank of Commander (0-5); and
WHEREAS,
in May, 2000, via an Executive Order by the Governor, Colonel Hitchens was named
Executive Commander of the G-8 Public Safety Command; and
WHEREAS,
he was placed in charge of all state efforts to coordinate law enforcement and
public safety operations for the Group of Eight (G-8) Summit held June 8-10,
2004, on Sea Island, Georgia; and
WHEREAS,
coordinated by Colonel Hitchens, the state effort included approximately 10,000
public safety and Georgia National Guard personnel from around the state and was
by all accounts an unprecedented success; and
WHEREAS,
Georgia's G-8 Summit has been established as the model and standard for such
events in years to come as a direct result of the remarkable leadership of
Colonel Hitchens; and
WHEREAS, on January 4, 2005, Colonel William "Bill" Hitchens, Jr., was appointed by Governor Perdue as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety; and
WHEREAS, on January 4, 2005, Colonel William "Bill" Hitchens, Jr., was appointed by Governor Perdue as Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety; and
WHEREAS,
in recognition of his outstanding leadership, The Peace Officers Association of
Georgia, Inc., presented Colonel Hitchens with the 2004 Arthur Hutchins
Meritorious Service Award; and
WHEREAS,
Colonel Hitchens has been married to his wife Norma for 35 years and they have
four children and five grandchildren.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body honor and
commend Colonel William "Bill" Hitchens, Commissioner of the Georgia Department
of Public Safety, and express their gratitude for his exemplary service to the
State of Georgia.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to Colonel William "Bill"
Hitchens.