Trooper First Class II Julian Mapes of the Georgia State Patrol (GSP) has been named the 2024 International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP)/Motorola Solutions national Trooper of the Year. Mapes is a 2018 UNG graduate.

"I am blessed to be a trooper and never thought about recognition. I strive to be the best I can be," he said.

Mapes, along with then cadet Trooper Logan South, "displayed extraordinary bravery to public safety during a high-speed pursuit in November that ended in an exchange of gunfire. Their quick thinking and courageous actions exemplify the very best of our agency," according to an April 2 social media post of the Georgia Department of Public Safety.

Not long after the incident, Mapes was notified that he'd been nominated as the Southern District finalist for IACP and traveled with his colonel to Orlando, where he was awarded national Trooper of the Year.

"I was shocked. There are people more deserving. It's what we do daily. The other officers deserve it just as much," he said. "It's what we're trained to do."

Two weeks later he received an invitation to the Georgia Capitol, where he was recognized by House Speaker Jon Burns and Rep. Bill Hitchens, chairman of the Public Safety Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.

“When evil raises its head, it's people like this who stand in the gap and keep us safe," Col. William Hitchens, commissioner of the Department of Public Safety, said.

"This profession for us is a calling," Mapes told those in attendance at the Capitol. "It's not something we do for a paycheck; it's not something we do because it's a necessity. It's something we were called to do."

Mapes then took a moment to thank South, now a state trooper, for being there for him.

"This is what we're meant to do in this world," he said.

While pursuing a degree in criminal justice, Mapes was required to have an internship. He chose a paid internship with GSP as it, along with two additional jobs, helped finance his degree. The internship focused on traffic enforcement and crash investigations.

Mapes said that his initial ride-along as an intern with retired Senior Trooper Mark Cox (now the Lumpkin County coroner) made significant impact on his career choice. Cox said that he's kept in touch with Mapes and was aware of the situation for which Mapes was recognized, adding that Mapes was "always sharp and ready to learn, and well prepared for that moment."

In addition to his internship, Mapes said his time on the National Service Leadership Track as a member of the UNG Corps of Cadets also helped hone his leadership skills.

"I take pride in being a UNG grad," he said. "The time in the corps gave me a sense of purpose. It was a good transition to what I do now."

Mapes is also an active member of the U.S. Army Reserve, with 12 years of service.