Recognizing the Retirement of Gary Yandura

Floor Speech

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Mrs. McBATH. Madam Speaker, I am proud to recognize the retirement of Gary Yandura, Chief Emeritus of the Brookhaven Police Department. For 40 years, Chief Emeritus Yandura has served with distinction as a law enforcement officer and a leader in community policing.

Chief Emeritus Yandura began his career in policing in Lake Forest, Illinois, where he served for 24 years before retiring as deputy chief. Here in Georgia, he served as chief of police in Hiram and College Park. In College Park, he was credited with reducing crime by 30 percent during his first four years as police chief. Following a nationwide search, he was appointed the first chief of police for the newly incorporated city of Brookhaven in April of 2013. For the last decade, Chief Emeritus Yandura has put Brookhaven on the map as one of the most innovative and forward-thinking police departments in the country.

During Chief Emeritus Yandura's tenure, he has made significant contributions in law enforcement, criminal justice, and mental health. Through initiatives like the Brookhaven Police Transparency Project, the Mental Health Co-Responder Program, and the innovative use of drones in police work, Brookhaven's Police Department has put an emphasis on prioritizing safety and building trust in the community. Because of these initiatives, the Brookhaven Police Department is routinely invited by law enforcement agencies from across the country to share their work so that more communities in America can benefit from the wisdom of the standards and practices that have been fostered by Chief Emeritus Yandura.

Over the last 4 years, I have been honored to work in partnership with Chief Emeritus Yandura as I have represented the City of Brookhaven. He and his department have gone above and beyond the call of duty in service to the residents of Brookhaven. While his presence will be sorely missed, I know his legacy will live on through the programs he has developed and implemented through the years. On behalf of my office and the United States House of Representatives, I wish Chief Yandura all the best in his retirement and thank him once again for his decades of outstanding service to our community.

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