05/30/2026
"Remain steadfast and persevere. Corporal is performing commendably. Thank you, DPS, for supporting her."
Recently, one of our north Georgia Troopers has come under attack by a local media outlet which sought to villainize her for stopping vehicles and making arrests which were appropriate and in accordance with Georgia law. The Georgia Department of Public Safety (DPS) has not changed its day-to-day law enforcement operations or practices for compliance with the 287g program. Georgia law authorizes and requires DPS Troopers and Officers to conduct a traffic stop when they have reasonable articulable suspicion or sufficient probable cause to believe the motorist is in violation of a Georgia traffic law. Sworn DPS members do not stop motorists or anyone else for the purpose of checking any immigration status. Should a DPS Trooper or Officer discover that a lawfully stopped motorist was driving while unlicensed, which is an arrestable offense in Georgia, they will transport the driver to the local jail for processing as is the normal course of action for an arrestee in these circumstances.
Corporal Shackleford has our agency’s full support in this matter. While we do not wish to give further attention to this attempt to defame her, we feel compelled to show our support for her and all of our DPS sworn members in their continuing efforts to keep our roadways safe. Immigration enforcement is certainly a divisive topic in our nation, but driving without a valid license in our state is an arrestable offense, citizen or non-citizen alike.
