---
title: O.C.G.A. § 27-1-16. Establishment of unit of game wardens; qualifications, appointment, and supervisory personnel; retention of badge and weapon upon disability retirement.
collection: code
id: 27-1-16
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 27-1-16 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/27-1-16
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/27-1-16.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/27-1-16/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t27-t30-(v22)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=3d92bb7f_0#page=21
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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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: GAME AND FISH / GENERAL PROVISIONS
---

# O.C.G.A. § 27-1-16. Establishment of unit of game wardens; qualifications, appointment, and supervisory personnel; retention of badge and weapon upon disability retirement.

(a) Within the department is established a unit of peace officers to be known as game wardens. All such game wardens shall be at least 21 years of age. Such unit of peace officers shall include, but not be limited to, the commissioner and other supervisory personnel; provided, however, that the commissioner and the director of the division to which peace officer functions are assigned shall be excluded from the classified service as defined by Code Section 45-20-2 unless otherwise provided by law. The commissioner shall have the power to appoint such a number of game wardens of the state at large, as may be necessary to carry out the duties assigned to them, who shall be charged with the law enforcement responsibilities pertaining to the department.

(b) After a game warden has accumulated 25 years of service with the department as a peace officer and upon leaving such department under honorable conditions, such game warden shall be entitled as part of such officer’s compensation to retain his or her weapon and badge pursuant to regulations promulgated by the commissioner.

(c) As used in this subsection, the term “disability” means a disability that prevents an individual from working as a law enforcement officer. When a game warden leaves the department as a result of a disability arising in the line of duty, such game warden shall be entitled as part of such officer’s compensation to retain his or her weapon and badge in accordance with regulations promulgated by the commissioner.

## History

Ga. L. 1931, p. 173, §§ 1-3; Code 1933, § 45-124; Ga. L. 1943, p. 128, § 19; Ga. L. 1945, p. 404, § 3; Ga. L. 1955, p. 483, § 13; Ga. L. 1968, p. 497, § 5; Ga. L. 1973, p. 1483, § 1; Ga. L. 1974, p. 1453, § 1; Code 1933, § 45-116, enacted by Ga. L. 1977, p. 396, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 816, § 8; Ga. L. 1981, p. 798, § 2; Ga. L. 1993, p. 392, § 1; Ga. L. 2004, p. 1058, § 2; Ga. L. 2005, p. 60, § 27/HB 95; Ga. L. 2009, p. 745, § 2/SB 97; Ga. L. 2012, p. 446, § 2-32/HB 642; Ga. L. 2019, p. 808, § 7/SB 72.

## Amendments

The 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, substituted “game wardens” for “conservation rangers” in three places in subsection (a), and substituted “game warden” for “conservation ranger” in two places in subsection (b) and in two places in subsection (c).