Covington Police Department Chief Stacey Cotton was named President of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police earlier this month.

An organization that aims to “promote cooperative, professional relationships throughout the state,” the GACP was incorporated in 1962 and is considered one of the most respected law enforcement associations in the state, according to the group’s Web site. The organization has more than 1,000 members, each of which represent municipal and county law enforcement agencies, college and university police departments, corporate and private security firms and a myriad of state and federal agencies and supportive citizens.

“This is an important role because the Georgia Chief’s Association is viewed as one of the top when it comes to handling issues that are faced today,” said Cotton.

Part of Cotton’s duties as president of the organization is to chair the association’s executive board and appoint all committee members and district representatives. That level of responsibility is not new to Cotton, who has served as chief of police in Covington since 1997. He was also appointed Public Safety Director in 2008 for the city.

“Under Chief Cotton’s leadership, the Covington Police Department has remained Internationally Accredited since 1985 as the first agency in Georgia and the 10th in the nation to achieve this milestone,” according to a press release from the GACP.

“Chief Cotton is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Va., where he attended the 188th session in 1997. In 2001 as a member of the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange Program Chief Cotton served as the delegation head when he and other Georgia law enforcement executives learned firsthand how to combat terrorism from the Israeli Police.

In 2007, Chief Cotton was selected as a part of a pilot group from GILEE who traveled to London as a guest of the British Consulate in Atlanta for a series of meetings with London Police and officials concerning the upcoming 2012 Olympics.”

Cotton also serves on several boards and community programs, including the child’s advocacy center and Project ReNeWal.

“It’s an honor to be able to lead such a fine organization that’s dedicated to developing police leadership skills and to be able to represent the CPD and the city of Covington,” said Cotton.