Valdosta State University police chief resigns following investigation

VALDOSTA, GA. (WTXL) – Valdosta State University Police Chief Alan Rowe has officially resigned after being placed on leave pending a third-party investigation.

According to the investigative report obtained by ABC27, Rowe faced allegations following a complaint to the university’s anonymous hotline in April 2024.

The initial report accused Chief Rowe of misconduct during a VSU football game, where he allegedly drove a state police vehicle after consuming alcohol at a tailgate event.

The allegations indicate that Rowe, in his official capacity, operated lights and sirens on the vehicle after drinking, misplaced the car at some point, and later recovered it.

An officer’s body camera recorded Rowe admitting he had been drinking, and other officers noticed a lingering odor of alcohol.

After the incident, it was alleged that Rowe advised officers not to speak further about it, and concerns were raised that this body camera footage may have been deleted – a possible violation of Georgia’s police records retention laws.

After the first tip-off, more complaints surfaced. These included allegations of a toxic work environment, claims of verbal abuse and discrimination, and suspicions that Rowe’s boss, Vice President of Finance and Administration Robert Martin, shielded him from responsibility.

Given the severity and scope of the complaints, VSU appointed an outside investigator, Chris McBride, who later worked with Assistant Superintendent J. Clay Gracen to investigate some of the specific issues.

Here’s a breakdown:

Findings from the investigation

• Claims with insufficient evidence:
  • Failure to do his job: There is insufficient evidence that Chief Rowe has neglected his duties.
  • Protection from Vice President Martin: There was not enough evidence to confirm that Vice President Martin was protecting him.
  • Body camera evidence: Evidence was found that no video was deleted.
  • Negligent attitude: There was no evidence that the hiring practices were mishandled.
• Partially proven:
  • Discrimination: Some evidence showed that Chief Rowe acted in a way that people perceived as discriminatory, but there was not enough evidence of retaliation.
• Claims have been proven to be true:
  • Falsification of training materials: Chief Rowe was found to have falsified training attendance to meet certification requirements.
  • Underreporting of Police Database Abuse (GCIC): Chief Rowe was found to have misreported problems related to the police crime information system and reported fewer problems than were known.
  • Drinking on duty: The investigation revealed evidence that Chief Rowe violated policy by drinking alcohol while on duty.
  • Violation of state laws and university policies: Multiple actions violated Georgia state law and university standards of ethical conduct.

Rowe responded earlier this month with a simple letter of resignation in which he provided no details other than saying he was resigning voluntarily, 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.