GBI assigns Eric Schwalls to head Southwestern Regional Drug Office

DECATUR – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation announced Monday the promotion of Eric Schwalls to Special Agent in Charge of the GBI’s Southwestern Regional Drug Enforcement Office in Albany. Schwalls will be responsible for supervision of the staff assigned to the unit and will oversee the administration of the office. SWRDEO covers a 42-county area in southwest Georgia.

Schwalls began his law enforcement career with the GBI in 2001 as a Narcotics Agent assigned to the State Drug Task Force in Atlanta and the South Georgia Drug Task Force in Lanier County. He was later promoted to special agent and assigned to the GBI Region 4 Field Office in Douglas and the GBI Region 15 Field Office in Sylvester. While at Region 15, he attended the University of Tennessee’s National Forensic Academy and became a Crime Scene Specialist.

In 2016, Schwalls was promoted to the rank of assistant special agent in charge and commander of the Pataula Drug Task Force in Colquitt. In 2018, Schwalls transferred to the GBI Region 9 Field Office in Thomasville. In 2019, he returned to drug work and filled the position of assistant special agent in charge of the newly created SWRDEO.

Schwalls received GBI Deputy Director’s Awards for Investigative Excellence in 2009, 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. Schwalls was recognized as one of Georgia’s best and brightest by Georgia Trend Magazine as a recipient of the 2011 40 Under 40 award.

SAC Schwalls graduated from Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College with an associate’s of Criminal Justice degree in 1997, from Valdosta State University with a bachelor of science degree in Criminal Justice in 2001, and received his master of public safety administration degree from Columbus State University in 2016.

Schwalls has been a P.O.S.T.-certified instructor since 2007. He is also a graduate of the Georgia Law Enforcement Command College at Columbus State University.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation comprises three divisions: the Georgia Crime Information Center, the Crime Laboratory, and the Investigative Division. The agency has 808 employees and a FY ‘21 budget of $98.8 million. Schwalls is assigned to the Investigative Division.

SAC Schwalls is from Tifton, GA, where he also currently resides.

Special Photo: GBI