Mr. Edwards started his law enforcement career as a uniformed officer in 1977, he then spent 30 years in the Georgia Bureau of Investigation retiring as a Special Agent in Charge. Next, he served four years as a Chief Deputy Sheriff. Since 2014, John has served as Executive Director of the Peace Officer Association of Georgia and CEO of J.B. Edwards and Associates Consultants. Mr. Edwards experience ranges from working undercover in street, major drug operations, investigation of major homicide cases, high profile cases, politically sensitive cases, to special event security. His management background includes narcotics supervision, multi-jurisdictional task force supervision, general investigation supervision, and co-chair of crisis management for the 2004 G-8 summit. Mr. Edwards has created and developed nationally recognized police operations programs and has over thirty years as a law enforcement trainer. He is a graduate of Georgia Southern University, former adjunct at the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College graduate school at Columbus State University, a Georgia P.O.S.T. certified instructor and has a National Instructor Certification from the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training in Meridian, Idaho. Mr. Edwards serves on the Advisory Board for the Georgia Public Training Center, Savannah Regional Police Academy. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the International Law Enforcement Education and Trainers Association and the Peace Officers Association of Georgia. He is the author of two books, thirty-one different law enforcement training curriculums, and many national and international publications regarding police operations, leadership, and management. He has received national awards and recognition from IACP and the BJA for operations and innovative programs and in 2014 was selected for the State of Georgia’s Governor’s Award in Public Safety for Outstanding Contribution to Profession. Mr. Edwards currently travels throughout the United States lecturing for many federal, state and local agencies and law enforcement associations regarding police operations, leadership and management, and conducts three-day seminars based on his book, “The Burden of Command.”