RINCON — Rep. Bill Hitchens, one of Georgia’s most highly decorated former law enforcement officials, will serve as grand marshal of the Freedom Rings Parade on June 25.
The second annual patriotic event, presented by Effingham Heroes Inc., will feature a wide variety of entries, including the 3rd Infantry Color Guard and 3rd Infantry Division Marching Band from Fort Stewart.
Hitchens, who represents Georgia House District 161, is a Vietnam War veteran and former member of the Georgia State Patrol from (1969-97). At the time of his GSP retirement, he held the rank of major and was the South Division adjutant.
During the 1996 Olympics, Hitchens was a shift commander and was responsible for all state law enforcement personnel at the many venues in Atlanta and across the state. On July 27, 1996, he was called to the scene of a “suspicious package” in Centennial Park, which culminated with him being about 35-40 feet from a bomb planted by Eric Rudolph detonated.
In January 2003, Hitchens was named the first director of the Georgia Office of Homeland Security by Gov. Sonny Perdue. In that position, he coordinated law enforcement and safety operations for the G-8 Summit conducted at Sea Island on June 8-10, 2004.
In December 2004, Hitchens, a Georgia Southern College and FBI Academy graduate, was unanimously approved to serve as commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Safety and colonel of the GSP.
The parade, which will start at 10 a.m. at Rincon Elementary School, will also be spotlight first responders from the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, Rincon Police Department, Springfield Police Department, Guyton Police Department, Georgia State Patrol, Rincon Fire Department, Effingham County EMS, Effingham County Fire & Rescue, Effingham County Emergency Management Agency, Effingham County E-911, Effingham County Jail and Effingham County Prison.
After departing the school, parade entrants will head west on Fort Howard Road to Ga. Hwy 21. They will then turn right at Chick-fil-A before making a left in front of Lowe’s and proceeding Prosperity Drive and Capital Drive to Freedom Park.
