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State names 2 with Boro ties to lead Dept. of Public Safety
Chris Wright named commissioner, William Hitchens named deputy
Wright Hitchens Public Safety
Col. Chris C. Wright, left, and Lt. Col. William W. Hitchens III

Two Georgia State Patrol troopers with Statesboro connections moved up in rank and responsibility through recent promotions by Gov. Brian Kemp.

According to a statement on the Georgia Department of Public Safety website, Kemp and the Board of Public Safety approved appointments of Col. Chris C. Wright as the Georgia Department of Public Safety Commissioner and Lt. Col. William W. Hitchens III as Deputy Commissioner. The promotions became effective on Sept. 30. 

Wright replaces Col. Gary Vowell, who served as interim commissioner since February. 

"On behalf of the Department of Public Safety, I would like to thank Colonel Gary Vowell for his time and his service to the department these past months," Wright said.

Col. Christopher Wright

According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety, Wright, a Georgia Southern graduate and former Statesboro trooper, also holds the rank of colonel with the Georgia State Patrol.

Prior to this appointment, he served as the Deputy Commissioner and the Director of Field Operations; the South Adjutant of Georgia State Patrol Troops F, G, H, and I. Prior to serving as South Adjutant, he served as the Troop I Commander from December 2015 to February 2019 and as the Troop H Commander from December 2011 to December 2015. Before his appointment as Troop Commander, Wright moved up the GSP ranks in Reidsville, Valdosta, Jekyll Island, and Statesboro.

He began his GSP career as a radio operator in 1994 at Post 31, Valdosta. After graduation from the 69th Georgia State Patrol Trooper School in 1995 he was assigned to Post 31, Valdosta. He was also a member of the Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team.

Wright was selected by the Peace Officers Association of Georgia as the 1995 Peace Officer of the Year and was subsequently honored by the Safety Fire Commission, the Georgia House and Senate with resolutions. He was selected by the Department to participate in the security detail for the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Justice Studies from Georgia Southern University. As a graduate of the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College, he holds a master's degree in public administration from Columbus State University. In December 2012, he graduated from the prestigious FBI National Academy, Session #251.

Wrught is a native of Mitchell County and attended Pelham High School. He currently resides in McIntosh County. He has one daughter, Lashley.

Maj. William Hitchens III 

Hitchens, a Statesboro resident, is the Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Public Safety and serves as the Director of Field Operations responsible for the Georgia State Patrol, Motor Carrier Compliance Division, Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), Specialized Collision Reconstruction Team (SCRT), Criminal Interdiction Unit (CIU), Aviation Division, Recruiting/Off-Duty Employment, and Implied Consent. 

He was appointed to the position of Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety effective Oct. 1 Before his appointment, he served as the South Adjutant of the Georgia State Patrol, responsible for the operations of Troops F, G, H, and I, the Recruiting Unit, and the SWAT Unit. He was appointed to this position on March 1, 2020.

Hitchens began his career with the Georgia State Patrol as a Cadet Trooper in 1994 at Post 21 – Sylvania. He graduated from the 69th Georgia State Patrol Trooper School in 1995, and was assigned to Post 19 – Swainsboro. He moved up through the ranks as Corporal, Sergeant, and Post Commander, receiving all promotions at Post 45 – Statesboro. In 2005, he was promoted to Lieutenant of Troop F before being appointed to the Troop I Commander in 2011. In 2015, Hitchens returned to Troop F as Troop Commander until assuming his current role. 

During the 1996 Olympic Games held in Atlanta, he was assigned to Centennial Park. He received a Meritorious Service Award for his actions prior to and immediately after the bombing in Centennial Park. He was also selected to serve on the committee which developed the department's mission statement and core beliefs. 

Hitchens, a second-generation Georgia State Trooper, is the son of retired Col. Bill and Norma Hitchens, and is a native of Rincon. He graduated from Effingham County High School in 1990 and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Middle Grades Education from Georgia Southern University in 1994. As a graduate of the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College, he holds a master's degree in public administration from Columbus State University. In June 2007, he graduated from the FBI National Academy, Session #229.

He and his wife, Angie, have lived in Statesboro for the past 30 years. They have two children. Their daughter, Gracen, attends the University of Georgia and their son, Will, is a student at Southeast Bulloch High School.