At the Augusta University Police Department we are committed to keeping our community safe. We recognize the value of transparency as we carry out our mission to protect and serve. This webpage provides current information about our mission, policies, and training.
The Augusta University Police Department has worked very hard to earn the trust of
the community we serve. We realize events on the national level have undermined the
trust some communities have in their police department. The Augusta University Police
Department is comprised of sworn law enforcement officers and civilian staff who take
their community guardian role to heart. As such, AUPD has developed a culture of the
"community guardian" in which every citizen is treated with dignity and respect, and
our team members act and respond to the needs of the community with integrity and
professionalism. We felt so strongly about this philosophy, it shaped our core values;
Integrity, Respect, Excellence and Professionalism.
This guardian culture was developed through strong recruitment, hiring standards and
processes, excellent training, strong policies and the highest level of accountability.
This helps all team members become better public servants and ensure that we are policing
in a professional, unbiased manner. This webpage was developed in an effort to be
transparent about the measures AUPD has taken over the last several years to earn
our community's trust. We know we always have room to improve and are committed to
a philosophy of continued organizational improvement. If there are any questions I
can answer, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
In Service,
James C. Lyon, Jr.
Augusta University's Chief of Police
jlyon@augusta.edu
(706) 721-8106
We recognize that the Augusta University (AU) community is comprised of people from different cultures and have different backgrounds. To best serve our community, we strive to build a workforce that encompasses a range of diverse backgrounds. While the table below depicts the racial demographics of our officers in comparison to the AU community, our goal of achieving a diverse work force is not only limited to women and minority groups; but to encompass sexual orientation, religious beliefs, age, specialized language skills, backgrounds, professional experience, and other demographic characteristics.
| AUPD SWORN DEMOGRAPHICS | African American / Black Males | African American / Black Females | Asian Males | Asian Females | Hispanic Males | Hispanic Females | Other Males | Other Females | White Males | White Females | TOTAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMMAND STAFF (Chief/Major/Captain) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| LIEUTENANTS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| SERGEANTS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| OFFICERS | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 21 |
| TOTAL | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 34 |
| PERCENTAGE | 17.65% | 5.88% | 0.00% | 2.94% | 2.94% | 2.94% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 58.82% | 8.82% | 100.00% |
| OVERALL AUPD | African American / Black | Asian | Hispanic | Other | White | ||||||
| 8 | 23.53% | 1 | 2.94% | 2 | 5.88% | 0 | 0.00% | 23 | 67.65% | 100.00% | |
| OVERALL AU STUDENTS | African American / Black | Asian | Hispanic | Other | White | ||||||
| 1523 | 24.65% | 625 | 10.11% | 469 | 7.59% | 421 | 6.81% | 3141 | 50.83% | 100.00% | |
| OVERALL AU STAFF | African American / Black | Asian | Hispanic | Other | White | ||||||
| 3182 | 34.32% | 474 | 5.11% | 183 | 1.97% | 605 | 6.53% | 4827 | 52.07% | 100.00% | |
| OVERALL AU FACULTY | African American / Black | Asian | Hispanic | Other | White | ||||||
| 127 | 7.16% | 232 | 13.09% | 59 | 3.33% | 200 | 11.28% | 1155 | 65.14% | 100.00% | |
*Data collected on 06/19/2020. Other is defined as American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, unknown, and two or more races.
We are committed to hiring officers who reflect the diversity and values of the Augusta University (AU) community, and who have both the mindset and skills needed to engage with the community. The hiring process includes a panel interview to identify candidates who possess the values, character traits, and capabilities that are in line with the mission of the department. In addition to a thorough background investigation, we require a pre-employment psychological screening that includes psychological personality testing, basic reasoning ability, and testing for psychopathology. The recruitment and hiring of qualified officers play a major role in shaping how we develop, grows, and ultimately succeeds.
IACP GUIDELINES
We recognize the need for scenario-based training that provides our employees with the skills necessary to make decisions that are reasonable and just. We train officers to look at a situation and make decisions based on “should” I respond this way not “could” I respond this way. Trust by the people we protect is essential to our mission. We embrace the guardian mindset and hold our employees accountable. We recognize members of the community may have questions about the training our officers receive and address some of them below.
Policies create the foundation for all of our operations. We uses Lexipol, who provides fully developed, state-specific policies researched and written by subject matter experts and vetted by attorneys. Our policies are based on nationwide standards and best practices while also incorporating state and federal laws and regulations where appropriate. We utilize Lexipol’s Daily Training Bulletins to help personnel learn to apply policies and improve their ability to make well-reasoned decisions.
The policies listed here demonstrate our commitment to transparency and our community. Click to learn more.
Our policy manual is available by request. Please email police@augusta.edu.
Online commendation and complaint forms can be found here.
In 2010, the We deployed body-worn cameras for patrol officers. Body-worn cameras result in better transparency and accountability and thus improve police legitimacy. The body-worn cameras are a tool in our problem solving approach to enhance officer safety and build community trust.
Augusta University Police utilize Axon™ body cameras to capture video of enforcement interactions with our community. Officers are required to keep their body worn cameras in good condition and ensure that they are operational before every shift. Each video is stored in compliance with O.C.G.A. § 50-18-96, which requires all videos to be retained for 180 days. Any video which is part of a criminal investigation, shows a vehicular accident, shows the detainment or arrest of an individual, shows a law enforcement officer's use of force, or such video contains evidence that is or can reasonably be anticipated to be necessary for pending litigation, shall be retained for 30 months.
Number of body cameras currently deployed
Year AUPD deployed body cameras
Required retention of 180 days, or 30 months for video requiring litigation
Over the last year, there has been a significant amount of debate and inaccurate information regarding qualified immunity for police officers. The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police organized an educational video to inform the public about what qualified immunity is, and how it applies to police officers. Please take a minute of your time to follow the link to the public service announcement.
https://gachiefs.com/gacp-qualified-immunity-psa/
