ATLANTA — Georgia Executive Director of Parole Christopher Barnett, a Hinesville native, attended the Chief Executive Training Class for appointed chiefs of police and heads of law enforcement agencies in Duluth Sept. 18-27.

The 60-hour course, administered and provided by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, is required by state law for all appointed heads of law enforcement agencies.

The curriculum is supposed to give appointed law enforcement administrators and command staff personnel training on police management, as well as inform them of laws and policies affecting their departments. Topics covered range from liability to ethics, and include timely topics.

"The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police is pleased to provide executive level training for the professional development of Georgia’s new law enforcement leaders," said GACP President Dennis Nelson of the Clayton County Department of Corrections.

Barnett was among 50 law enforcement administrators at the course.

"It is important to be a learning organization and therefore important to take advantage of opportunities such as the training provided by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, which is among the best in the nation. The GACP training provided cutting edge techniques and scientific approaches to assist executives in leading their agencies to successful outcomes in today’s environment," Barnett said.

As executive director of parole, Barnett is in charge of the operations of the State Board of Pardons and Paroles. He reports to the five-member Parole Board.

He was appointed to the position in 2015 after serving as interim director and guiding the board through a reorganization of the agency as parole supervision transitioned to the new Department of Community Supervision.

Barnett said he has worked to strengthen relationships with community stakeholders and criminal justice partners, and to inform Georgians about the parole consideration process.

He joined the Georgia Parole Board in 2003 as a parole officer in Marietta. Promotions to senior parole officer, assistant chief parole officer, field operations officer, senior field operations officer and statewide program manager followed. In May 2013, he was promoted to regional director, supervising operations and parole districts within the Northeast Region.

Barnett has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s of public administration from Georgia Southern University.