--- title: SR 13. Coleman, Richard; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/sr13 cite_as: SR 13, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr13 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr13.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr13/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69337 date: 2025-01-15 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr12.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr14.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 94 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr13.md?full=1 bill_number: SR 13 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: Senate bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-01-15 last_action: Senate Read and Adopted sponsors: - Derek Mallow - Harold Jones - Kim Jackson text_version: Enrolled has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/SR13/2025 upstream_id: 1919245 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - law enforcement - Chatham County - Georgia Senate resolution - public service recognition --- # SR 13. Coleman, Richard; commend ## Text Senate Resolution 13 By: Senators Mallow of the 2nd, Jones II of the 22nd and Jackson of the 41st A RESOLUTION Commending Richard Coleman; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, Richard Coleman has dedicated over 30 years to law enforcement as a Georgia peace officer, earning certification as a Georgia law enforcement executive administrator and serving in leadership roles such as chief of police, chief of internal affairs, assistant chief of police, and police operations commander; and WHEREAS, he has demonstrated extensive expertise in staffing, budgeting, policy creation, outsourcing, resource management, and community engagement throughout his distinguished career; and WHEREAS, Richard Coleman is an honest and dedicated public servant who strives for excellence in all of his endeavors and whose primary concern is the welfare and safety of the citizens of Chatham County; and WHEREAS, he is highly regarded by the citizens of his community and by state and local government officials as a man of unquestioned integrity and dedication to the administration of justice and sound principles of law enforcement; and WHEREAS, this spirited law enforcement professional has exhibited extraordinary devotion to duty, outstanding loyalty, fine leadership, and meticulous attention to detail throughout his exemplary career; and WHEREAS, his inspiring commitment to the welfare of others stands as an outstanding example of the positive effect law enforcement professionals have on the lives and well-being of others; and WHEREAS, it is abundantly fitting and proper that gratitude is expressed for the unique and often unheralded contributions of local law enforcement professionals on behalf of the citizens of this state. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body commend the care, courage, sympathy, and selfless dedication exhibited by Richard Coleman in carrying out the difficult duties of his vocation and express their utmost appreciation for having so purely and truly defined for others the meaning of public servant. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Richard Coleman. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Senate resolution formally commends Richard Coleman, a longtime Chatham County law enforcement official, for his more than 30 years of service in Georgia policing. ### Plain-language summary This is a ceremonial resolution from the Georgia Senate, not a change to state law. It honors Richard Coleman, who spent more than 30 years as a Georgia peace officer, holding leadership roles including chief of police, chief of internal affairs, assistant chief of police, and police operations commander. The resolution praises his expertise in staffing, budgeting, policy creation, and community engagement, and credits him with dedication to public safety in Chatham County. It directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare an official copy of the resolution for distribution to Coleman. It carries no legal or financial effect beyond this formal recognition. ### What it does - Formally commends Richard Coleman for over 30 years of service as a Georgia peace officer and law enforcement leader. - States the Senate's appreciation for his integrity, leadership, and dedication to public safety in Chatham County. - Directs the Secretary of the Senate to prepare and distribute an official copy of the resolution to Coleman. ### Who it affects The resolution directly names and honors Richard Coleman, a Chatham County law enforcement official. It also involves the Secretary of the Senate, who is tasked with preparing and distributing a copy of the resolution to him. ### Why it matters The resolution has no effect on Georgia law, funding, or public policy. Its significance is symbolic: it is an official statement by the Georgia Senate recognizing one individual's decades of public service in law enforcement. ### Key provisions - The whereas clauses describe Coleman's 30-plus year law enforcement career and leadership roles including chief of police and chief of internal affairs. - The resolved clause formally commends Coleman's dedication, integrity, and public service on behalf of the Senate. - A further resolved clause instructs the Secretary of the Senate to make a copy available for distribution to Coleman. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-01-15) - Last action: Senate Read and Adopted (2025-01-15) - Sponsors: Derek Mallow, Harold Jones, Kim Jackson - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/69337 > The history, votes, and amendments (94 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/sr13.md?full=1