---
title: O.C.G.A. § 20-8-1. Definitions.
collection: code
id: 20-8-1
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 20-8-1 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-8-1
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-8-1.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/20-8-1/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t20-ch3-18-(v17a)-2025-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=10d12596_0#page=528
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
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version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Session of the General Assembly of Georgia
heading_path: EDUCATION / CAMPUS POLICEMEN
extraction_warnings:
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---

# O.C.G.A. § 20-8-1. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the term:

(1) “Campus” means the grounds and buildings owned or occupied by a college or university, the grounds and buildings owned or occupied by any college or university that has entered into a united police force agreement, or the grounds and buildings of a school or training facility operated by or under the authority of the State Board of Education. Such term shall also include any public or private property within 500 yards of the property of an educational facility and one-quarter mile of any public street or public sidewalk connecting different buildings of the same educational facility when the property or buildings of the educational facility are located within any county in this state having a population of 400,000 or more according to the United States decennial census of 1970 or any future such census.

(2) “Campus policeman” means an employee of an educational facility whose duties include the enforcement of the laws of this state; the preservation of public order; the protection of life and property; the prevention, detection, or investigation of crime; or any combination thereof.

(3) “College or university” means an accredited, nonproprietary, public or private educational institution of higher learning located in this state.

(4) “Educational facility” means a college or university or a school or training facility operated by or under the authority of the State Board of Education.

(5) “United police force agreement” means a contract entered into by two or more colleges or universities for the purpose of sharing campus policemen and related resources.

## History

Ga. L. 1977, p. 1160, § 1; Ga. L. 1979, p. 1323, § 1; Ga. L. 1981, p. 806, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 596, § 1; Ga. L. 2023, p. 545, § 1/HB 142, effective July 1, 2023; Ga. L. 2025, p. 1029, § 20(68)/SB 153, effective July 1, 2025.

## Amendments

The 2023 amendment, effective July 1, 2023, inserted “, the grounds and buildings owned or occupied by any college or university that has entered into a united police force agreement,” following “college or university” in paragraph (1) and added paragraph (5).

The 2025 amendment, effective July 1, 2025, part of an Act to revise, modernize, and correct the Code, substituted “Such term” for “The term ‘campus’” in paragraph (1).