Acworth Police Chief Sworn in as GACP Vice President

Acworth Police Chief Michael G. Wilkie was sworn in Tuesday as the fourth Vice President of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police (GACP). The GACP is an organization that represents Chiefs of Police from all over the state, and is responsible for the training and professional development of the chiefs.

Wilkie has held his role as the Chief of Police for the for almost nine years. He served as the police chief for Springdale and Jonesville in South Carolina before joining the .

Wilkie is an Atlanta native and a graduate of Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC. He received a master's degree in criminal justice from the University of South Carolina, a master's degree in public administration from Columbus State University, and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. He is also a dotorate candidate for public administration at Valdosta State University. Meanwhile, Wilkie serves as a member of the criminal justice faculty for several Atlanta area college programs.

“We best serve our citizens and community when we are partners together and have strong, working relationships," said Wilkie, in support of the community policing philosophy that emphasizes relationships with schools, churches, community and business groups, and neighborhoods. "We want our community to know their police officers well.” 

He has traveled to Russia where he interacted with the local police there, and also has been a civilian law enforcement observer of the terrorist detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. In addition, Wilkie has trained with and hosted a delegation of the Israel State Police.

Being an active member in a variety of boards and organizations, Wilkie has worked closely with Special Olympics of Georgia, several college alumni associations, and the Acworth Business Association. He has served in the U.S. Army Reserves and is currently a member of the Georgia State Defense Force. He and his family live in Acworth, where he serves as a deacon and Bible teacher at .