New GBI director Mike Register ready to work and continue to push agency in the right direction

ATLANTA — The new head of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation sat down with Channel 2 Action News in a one-on-one exclusive.

If you want to know how important the GBI is, think about Ahmaud Arbery or officer-involved shootings.

With a resume ranging from the chief of two departments to his current job at the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, to running a Pentagon program to reduce deaths from IEDs, Register said he humbly believes he has the background.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

“It’s a great agency with a great reputation, man. With a plethora of good men and women, great leaders are there. I’m just humbled to walk in the door and be part of it. But also, I want to do my part to make the GBI a better agency. More effective, more efficient, more adaptive,” Register said.

Register said our interview was hours after the state board of public safety unanimously confirmed his appointment by Gov. Brian Kemp as the new GBI director.

“My first 90 days with the GBI, I want to look. I want to absorb. I want to learn. I want to ask questions. I want to get answers,” Register said.

It comes after 22 years in active duty or reserve in the army special forces, including combat in Afghanistan as a green beret.

Register said he learned how to adapt to new situations. And it comes into play when you take a new job like this one and in life.

“Now with law enforcement, we’re constantly adapting to the operational environment,” Register said.

TRENDING STORIES:

• UPDATE: Woman who vanished from Buckhead townhome found dead
• Video shows brutal attack of teen at Clayton County high school
• Subway where worker was killed over too much mayo on sandwich to reopen with new security protocols

He says his interview with Kemp included a discussion about the GBI’s renewed focus on gangs, which he says is important.

“When I think about gangs I go back to Clayton County, the 11-and 15-year-old that was killed in cold blood while they slept in their bed. That was gang violence. When I was chief of Clayton County, there were several people arrested,” Register said.

Register said he believes his resume prepares him for the GBI post, including taking over as Clayton County police chief on the heels of controversy at the department.

“I believe when I left Clayton County, we accomplished a lot of things. Not me, but the people that worked with me,” Register said. That includes becoming Cobb police chief.

“One of the greatest law enforcement agencies in the state, maybe the country,” Register said.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

It was when a report from the International Association of Chiefs of Police recommended acknowledging and addressing public perceptions of racism and discriminatory policing, which he did address.

“We, the department, made important changes,” Register said.

Register said the GBI is a great agency, but still one he wants to lead to the next level.

He says his police chief background underscores the importance of continuing the work GBI predecessor Vic Reynolds did to reduce the backlog at the state crime lab.

He brought up two more areas:

“The investigation of voter fraud and officer-involved shootings. I want to make sure that we stay connected with the community and the people of this state to let them know that they can trust, and that they have a great agency handling those two very critical and difficult types of investigations,” Register said.

Register said besides all the things the GBI is currently equipped to handle, it’s important to prepare for the future to adapt to emerging and evolving threats and be ready to confront them.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Georgia man tied to shooting of Miami officer had extensive criminal history

©2022 Cox Media Group