Lance H. Deaton
Deputy Chief, Bureau of Investigative Services

Deputy Chief Ronnie Hastings

DeputyChief Lance H. Deaton began his career with the Columbus Police Department as aPatrol Officer on January 3, 2003. As a Patrol Officer, he served in the,Patrol Division and Traffic Unit / Motor Squad. As a Detective, he worked inthe Robbery / Homicide Unit. As a Sergeant, he served in the Bureau ofInvestigative Services and was assigned to the Robbery / Homicide Unit and wasone of the initial supervisors in the departments newly formed Homicide Unit.As a Lieutenant, he worked in the Patrol Division as an Assistant ShiftCommander and then was assigned to lead the departments Traffic Unit / MotorSquad. As a Deputy Chief, he led the Bureau of Support Services which is made up of the Property and Evidence Unit, 911 call center, Quartermaster,Record Room, Desk Services, Motor pool, Facility’s and Technology. He is currently the commander of the Bureau of Investigative Services which houses the Violent Crimes, Property Crimes, Adult/Youth Services, Crime Scene Division, and Special Operations Units.

Deputy Chief Deaton has a Master of Science degree in Justice Administration from Columbus State University along with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Troy State University. He completed theProfessional Management Program at the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College at Columbus State University. He is currently a member of the GeorgiaAssociation of Chiefs of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Bureau of Investigative Services

The Bureau of Investigative Services provides follow-up and specialized investigative services. The bureau is headed by a Deputy Chief and two Captains directly under the Deputy Chief's command. One of the Captains is the Executive Officer for the bureau, while the other Captain oversees the Special Operations Division. The bureau is currently composed of the following divisions: Homicide Division, Robbery/Assault Division, Property Crimes Division, Crime Scene Division, and the Special Operations Division.

Homicide Division

The Homicide Division investigates criminal or suspicious deaths that involve long-term and/or high-profile investigations. This division handles both recent cases and pursues unsolved cases from previous years.

Robbery / Assault Division

The Robbery and Assault Division investigates, within this division, other part one crimes, including commercial and personal robberies, as well as assault crimes.

Property Crimes Division

The Property Crimes Division is comprised of four units.

The Burglary/Theft Unit investigates burglaries, felony thefts and various types of property damage.

The Pawnshop Unit oversees local pawnshop businesses which include the following: Checking pawnshop articles for possible stolen items, entering and maintaining a computerized database of all pawned articles, and investigating persons involved with stolen pawned articles.

The Financial Crimes Unit investigates activities involving improper use of documents of legal tender and other criminal activities commonly referred to as "white collar" crimes.

The Adult/Youth Services Unit concentrates on the illegal activities of juveniles (under 17) to include Ungovernable/Runaways. This unit also investigates and reports missing persons of any age.

Crime Scene Division

The Crime Scene Division is a highly specialized unit consisting of trained and certified technicians who provide photo and evidence processing at crime scenes.

Special Operations Division

The Special Operations Division investigates all complaints concerning narcotics, trafficking, prostitution, gambling and ABC violations. In addition, this unit consists of a Tactical Unit that can be deployed to handle any situation that requires an immediate law enforcement response, such as a crime suppression detail for burglaries and robberies.


Contact Us

Homicide Division                           (706) 225-3161
Robbery/Assault Division               (706) 225-3162
Sexual Assault Unit                         (706) 225-3164
Crime Scene Division                     (706) 653-3460
Burglary/Theft Unit                         (706) 653-3424
Financial Crimes Unit                     (706) 225-3151
Adult/Youth Services Unit               (706) 653-3449    
Special Operations Division           (706) 653-3112