VALDOSTA, GA. (WTXL) — Valdosta State University police chief Alan Rowe has officially resigned after being put on leave pending a third-party investigation.
According to the investigation report obtained by ABC27, Rowe faced allegations following a complaint to the university’s anonymous hotline back in April 2024.
The initial report accused Chief Rowe of misconduct during a VSU football game, where he allegedly drove a state-issued police vehicle after consuming alcohol at a tailgate event.
The allegations suggested that Rowe, in his official capacity, used lights and sirens on the vehicle after drinking, misplaced the car at one point, and later found it.
An officer’s body camera captured Rowe acknowledging his drinking, and a lingering smell of alcohol was noted by other officers.
After the incident, it was alleged that Rowe advised officers not to discuss it any further, and concerns were raised that this body camera footage might have been deleted—a potential violation of Georgia’s police records retention laws.
Following the initial tip, additional complaints surfaced. These included accusations of a toxic work environment, claims of verbal abuse and discrimination, and suspicions that Rowe’s supervisor, VP of Finance and Administration Robert Martin, shielded him from accountability.
Given the severity and breadth of the complaints, VSU appointed an outside investigator, Chris McBride, who later collaborated with Deputy Chief J. Clay Gracen to review some of the specific issues.
Here's a breakdowns:
Findings From the Investigation
- Claims With Insufficient Proof:
- Failure to Do His Job: Not enough evidence showed Chief Rowe neglected his duties.
- Protection from VP Martin: There wasn’t enough evidence to confirm that VP Martin protected him.
- Body Camera Evidence: Evidence was found that no video was deleted.
- Negligent Hiring: There was no proof that hiring practices were mishandled.
- Partially Proven:
- Discrimination: Some evidence showed that Chief Rowe acted in ways that people perceived as discriminatory, but there wasn’t enough proof for retaliation.
- Claims Proven True:
- Falsifying Training Records: Chief Rowe was found to have falsified attendance at training sessions to meet certification requirements.
- Underreporting Misuse of Police Database (GCIC): Chief Rowe was found to have misreported issues involving the police criminal information system, reporting fewer issues than were known.
- Drinking on Duty: The investigation found evidence that Chief Rowe violated policy by drinking alcohol while on duty.
- Breaking State Laws and University Policies: Multiple actions violated Georgia state laws and university standards for ethical behavior.
Rowe responded earlier this month with a simple letter of resignation, offering no details beyond voluntarily resigning effective immediately.
VSU said in a statement that Chief Bryant Leverett will continue in his role as interim director of public safety following Rowe’s resignation.
