In 1925, Americans were smack dab in the middle of a “roaring” decade. They danced the Charleston, walked the line of Prohibition, and heard-tell of an invention that would come to be television. In Georgia, there was also important action on behalf of the state’s multi-million acres of pine trees.
It was 100 years ago that “Deputy Forest Wardens” were given authority by the governor to enforce fire laws, through the then-named Georgia Forestry Department. By 1938, wildland fire was a growing concern, with losses due to forest fires costing the state between five- and eight-thousand dollars annually. Approximately $155,000 was spent that year in an effort to protect the state’s forests.
Through the years, the department grew, and by 1957 an expanded team was fully trained in criminal investigations, fingerprinting, collection and preservation of evidence, criminal interrogation, and investigative techniques.
Today, GFC Law Enforcement (LE) Department investigators are certified by the Georgia Peace Officers Standards and Training Council. The department assists other state agencies when requested, and works closely with the State Fire Marshal’s office and the Department of Natural Resources. The GFC LE Department has statewide law enforcement jurisdictions, with main focuses on wildfire investigations and enforcement of the state’s timber laws. They have the authority to seek criminal charges, and assist local district attorneys’ offices with prosecution of individuals violating state laws. ”
For the past 17 years, the LE Department has been led by Brian Clavier, who had worked with the state fire marshal’s office before joining GFC. Under his leadership, Georgia helped establish the Southeast Arson Task Force, which coordinates resources for wildland fire investigations across 13 states. In addition, Clavier consolidated GFC Investigators into a single Law Enforcement Department, which was previously handled at the local region level.
Clavier is retiring after 30 years of service to the State of Georgia. In late August, he will hand over the leadership reigns to GFC LE Supervisor-Investigator John Harris, who has been promoted to Chief of Law Enforcement. Harris graduated from Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College in 2006 with a degree in criminal justice. He was an officer with the Motor Carrier Compliance Division of the Georgia Department of Public Safety, rising to the rank of sergeant before transferring to the GFC as an investigator in 2016. Throughout his career, he has broadened his experience by achieving the NWGC qualifications of INVF and INVL and has been on assignments in Texas, Florida, and Washington. He was promoted to Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement in 2024 and recently received his Chief Executive Leadership certificate through the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.