After serving as acting chief of police since September, Georgia Southern University named Trey Drawdy its new chief, effective Jan. 1, 2025.
Drawdy replaces Laura McCullough, who resigned in September, and had been chief since April 2016.
“Chief Drawdy has demonstrated an impressive commitment to and understanding of the distinctive needs of our community,” said Kyle Marrero, Georgia Southern president. “His background brings valuable insights and experience to the position that will benefit our students, faculty and staff.”
Drawdy has more than 25 years of law enforcement and higher education administrative experience, most recently serving as the chief of police at East Georgia State College. A Southeast Georgia native, U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and member of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, he has a proven track record of innovation, dedication and mentorship in public safety and academic settings.
“As the university’s acting chief, Chief Drawdy demonstrated strong leadership and fostered a departmental culture of collaboration and professionalism as well as a commitment to high standards of safety,” said Ron Stalnaker, vice president for Business and Finance. “He will continue to build strong relationships, including city and county law enforcement agencies, with our external partners to ensure the safety of our university community.”
Drawdy has served as the director of the Reinhardt University Public Safety Institute, a Georgia Peace Officer Standards & Training (P.O.S.T.) certified law enforcement academy. Under his leadership, programming expanded to include advanced and specialized training for veteran law enforcement officers. Drawdy was later named interim dean of the School of Professional Studies and was promoted to captain within the Reinhardt University Department of Public Safety.
He has also served as department chair at Chattahoochee Technical College, where he developed the award-winning Law Enforcement Accelerated Academic Program (LEAAP). He was awarded the Rick Perkins Award for Excellence in Technical Instruction at the institutional level.
He served the Glynn County community through an appointment to the Juvenile Court of Glynn County in various capacities and represented the court as an inter-agency trainer. Additionally, he served as a school resource officer with the Glynn County Schools Police and oversaw training for the agency.
Drawdy holds an associate’s degree from the College of Coastal Georgia, a bachelor’s degree from Armstrong State University and a master’s degree from Troy University. He is certified as a senior instructor through the Georgia P.O.S.T. Council. He has also completed the Chief Executive Training Program offered through the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.