Jurisdictional Confusion Between Hinesville Police and Liberty County Sheriff Leads to Georgia State Patrol Intervention

Jurisdictional Confusion Between Hinesville Police and Liberty County Sheriff Leads to Georgia State Patrol Intervention

HINESVILLE, GA — A routine vehicle accident on the evening of Thursday, June 10, 2025, at the intersection of Highway 84 and General Stewart Way, has highlighted growing tensions and confusion between local law enforcement agencies over jurisdictional authority. What began as a simple traffic collision quickly evolved into a bureaucratic standoff, with both the Hinesville Police Department (HPD) and the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) refusing responsibility for handling the incident—ultimately requiring the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) to intervene and take over the case.

The incident unfolded just before 6:40 p.m., when vehicles involved in the crash moved off the roadway and into the parking lot of Gerber Collision, located along Highway 84. Hinesville Police Officer and designated accident investigator, identified as Unit 152, was first to arrive on the scene following the dispatch call.

However, shortly after arriving, Officer 152 informed HPD dispatchers that the crash was outside city jurisdiction and requested that the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office be dispatched instead. Responding to the call, LCSO Deputy 966 questioned the request, clarifying that the collision occurred on Highway 84 in front of the Dairy Queen, a location well within the established city limits of Hinesville.

This kicked off a prolonged back-and-forth between the two agencies. According to geographical boundaries and municipal records, the area in question—including Dairy Queen and the stretch of Highway 84—is indeed within the city limits, confirming that jurisdiction would typically fall under the purview of the Hinesville Police Department. Dispatchers reiterated this fact to Officer 152, stating that the County acknowledged it was city jurisdiction.

Despite this, Officer 152 remained firm, again advising dispatch that the matter fell under County jurisdiction and declined to take action. The situation escalated when HPD Supervisor, Officer 124, intervened and declared over the radio that the department would no longer engage in a debate with the Sheriff’s Office regarding jurisdiction. He directed dispatch to contact the Georgia State Patrol to handle the matter.

With both HPD and LCSO stepping back, Georgia State Patrol troopers were dispatched and promptly arrived to assess the scene and complete the accident report—a task that local authorities had effectively passed off due to the impasse.

This incident has now become the focus of increasing scrutiny within the community and among local watchdog groups. There is currently an open records request pending for both the police radio communications and an alleged phone conversation that took place between city and county law enforcement officials during the jurisdictional disagreement. These records are expected to shed further light on the breakdown in communication and clarify what led to the impasse that left motorists caught in bureaucratic limbo.

The confusion has reignited ongoing concerns about coordination and cooperation between HPD and LCSO, both of which have faced questions in the past about overlapping authority, response procedures, and inter-agency protocol. Critics argue that such disputes risk undermining public safety and response efficiency, particularly in time-sensitive situations such as traffic collisions.

Local residents who witnessed the drawn-out exchange expressed frustration that an otherwise straightforward traffic report required state intervention. “It shouldn’t take three agencies to figure out who handles a fender bender,” one bystander remarked.

At present, Georgia State Patrol has taken control of the official investigation, and no injuries were reported at the scene. The results of the open records request—and any potential administrative response from HPD or LCSO—are expected in the coming weeks.

As this story develops, it raises larger questions about jurisdictional clarity, training, and the quality of collaboration between municipal and county law enforcement in Liberty County.