HB915: HB915 Law enforcement officers and agencies; authorize county and municipal law enforcement agencies to employ civilian personnel to assist in certain investigations

Currently, only sworn peace officers handle tasks like investigating traffic accidents and property crimes in Georgia. HB 915 would let county and municipal law enforcement agencies employ, equip, and train nonsworn civilian staff called civilian community responders to assist with traffic accident investigations, property crime investigations, public education about laws, and missing person searches. The bill sets strict limits: these responders cannot carry weapons, be issued badges, drive vehicles with police markings or blue lights, or replace sworn officers. They must complete training set up by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, wear distinct uniforms, and use standard accident report procedures. Obstructing or retaliating against a responder becomes a misdemeanor. The bill also updates traffic laws so responders can direct traffic for towing purposes and be recognized under obedience-to-authority rules.

• Creates a new position called civilian community responder that local police and sheriff's offices can hire to assist with traffic crash and property crime investigations, public education, and missing person searches.
• Bars agencies from using these civilian responders to reduce or replace sworn law enforcement officers.
• Prohibits civilian responders from carrying weapons, receiving badges, or driving vehicles marked as police vehicles or equipped with blue lights.
• Requires the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council to create a training program of at least four hours plus four weeks of field training before responders can work.
• Makes it a misdemeanor to obstruct, resist, or retaliate against a civilian community responder performing their duties.
• Updates Georgia's traffic code so responders can direct traffic for towing purposes and must use the state's uniform accident report system.

County and municipal law enforcement agencies and the civilians they might hire as community responders, the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council which must build a training program, sworn police officers who currently handle these duties, and the public, including drivers involved in accidents and people reporting property crimes.

If enacted, some traffic crash and property crime cases in Georgia could be handled by unarmed civilian staff instead of sworn officers, potentially freeing up police time. The bill also creates new legal protections for these workers and a misdemeanor penalty for interfering with them.

• Section 1 adds new Code Section 35-1-24, defining civilian community responder and listing allowed duties: traffic crash investigation, property crime assistance, public education, and missing person searches.
• Section 1 bars responders from carrying weapons or being issued badges, and requires distinct uniforms and vehicles without police markings or blue lights.
• Section 1 requires at least four hours of council-run training plus four weeks of field training with an experienced officer before a responder can work.
• Section 1 makes it a misdemeanor to obstruct, resist, or retaliate against a civilian community responder performing their duties.
• Section 2 adds a duty for the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council to establish a uniform training program for these responders (O.C.G.A. § 35-8-7).
• Section 3 revises the traffic obedience law (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-2) to include civilian community responders directing traffic.
• Section 4 revises the uniform accident reporting law (O.C.G.A. § 40-6-278) to require civilian community responders to use the same statewide accident report forms and procedures as police.

1. 2026-01-12House Second Readers (House)
2. 2025-04-04House First Readers (House)
3. 2025-04-02House Hopper (House)

• Karen Lupton (D, HD-083)Primary sponsor
• Marvin Lim (D, HD-098)

• law enforcement staffing
• traffic accident investigations
• property crime investigation
• police training
• public safety