Investigation: Savannah airport police illegally used radar guns

Equipment used in vehicles driven by Savannah/ Hilton Head International Airport Police officers to clock drivers speed and issue multiple tickets was never supposed to be there, according to a report obtained by WJCL.

In May 2016, Georgia Department of Public Safety began investigating allegations that the Airport Police Department was using radar equipment without a state-issued permit, according to the report.

Georgia State Code lists three agencies, aside from the Georgia State Patrol, that are allowed to use Speed Detection Devices on Georgia roads. Airport Police are not listed as an agency that can obtain one of these state-issue permits.

According to the reports obtained by WJCL, Airport Police Chief Wofford Wilkins told state investigators that he believed his officers were eligible to “piggy-back” off the permits issued to the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department.

The state’s investigation started in May 2016, but the reports do not detail how long Airport Police were using radars without a state-issued permit, according to WJCL. At least four people were issued citations for speeding by Airport Police officers between December 2015 and April 2016, WJCL found. Representatives for the Savannah Hilton Head International Airport declined to comment on the report.

This story was originally published May 19, 2017 at 12:22 PM with the headline "Investigation: Savannah airport police illegally used radar guns."