By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
MAY 5, 2020 | Former Gwinnett Police Chief A. A. (Andrew Arthur) “Butch” Ayers didn’t remain inactive long after he retired in mid-November as head of the 878 sworn officers of the Gwinnett Police Department, plus 274 civilian staffers.
Six weeks later, on January 2, he was named the executive director of the Georgia Police Chiefs Association, based in Duluth. The 600 member organization has an eight person staff which coordinates and directs the mandatory training required of Georgia police chiefs.
Wesley Walker, Lyons Police Chief, is president of the Chiefs Association. He says: “We did a nationwide search of more than 30 candidates, and there was stiff competition, but Butch just outshined them all in what he had done in his career. Plus, we wanted someone if possible from Georgia. We’re excited about him being our new director.”
Ayers says: “Looks like the stars were lined up for me to get this job. If I had waited another year to retire, the opportunity would not have been available. It was a sweet spot and I feel very fortunate to land where I did.”
Ayers
The Dacula resident, 58, joined the Police Department in 1984….and has been with the Gwinnett police his entire life. He was the fourth consecutive person to be named chief who started out as a rookie with the Department. The new and current chief, Tom Doran, is the fifth person in a row to go from rookie-to-chief.
Chief Ayers was interested since age 16 in wanting to be a policeman. “I saw the police were doing something to make a difference, and that attracted me.”
Ayers was born in Hollywood, Fla. but lived most of his life in Georgia. He graduated from high school in Jefferson, attended Gainesville Junior College before majoring in political science at the University of Georgia. He holds a master’s degree in public administration from Columbus State University. He’s also attended the Law Enforcement Command College.
He is married to Leisa, a stay-at-home mom, and the couple has two adult daughters.
The former chief’s law enforcement career saw him moving quickly up the ladder in a variety of positions, starting out in the Uniformed Patrol Division at the West Precinct in Norcross for two years, followed by a year at the Buford Precinct.
He headed the Fraud Unit for two years. Meanwhile, he had two additional jobs, as head of Special Weapons for four years and as chief of the SWAT team for five years. “These duties were in addition to my regular jobs,” he notes. Altogether, he was with the Department for 36 years.
Of his new role, Ayers, now a registered lobbyist, says: “I was surprised at how busy the Association is in monitoring the Legislature, and working with the Sheriffs Association, the Association County Commissioners, and the Georgia Municipal Association. We’re watching which bills are presented, and see how they affect law enforcement. Even the shortened session so far has been an eye-opening experience for me.”
Meanwhile, the Chiefs Association continues to work on conferences and training for its members, which is an ongoing process. New chief training requires 60 hours, which takes place over one and a half weeks in the Duluth offices. The Association has four sessions a year, each consisting of up to 40 officers.
And the Association constantly works on its twice-a-year training conferences in Savannah and Jekyll Island, which will see 600 in attendance.
It’s good to have the Chiefs Association headed by Gwinnett’s own Butch Ayers!
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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