George Austin, DPA
Department Chair for Public Administration
Green Hall, Room 1661T
Education
- D.P.A.., Public Administration, California Baptist University University
- M.S., Criminal Justice, University of Cincinnati
- M.P.A., Public Administration, University of North Carolina at Pembroke
- M.A., Christian Education, Pfeiffer University
- M.M., Music Performance, Winthrop University
- B.S., Criminal Justice, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
- B.M., Music Performance Appalachian State University
Biography
Dr. Austin served for over thirty years in law enforcement, including the last seven years as a Police Chief of an agency in the Atlanta metro area, retiring in 2023. Prior to serving in that role, Dr. Austin retired as a Captain with a major city police department, where he served for over twenty-five years. His command roles included responsibilities in Patrol, Administration, Watch Command, and Internal Affairs. Dr. Austin is also a graduate of the Senior Management Institute for Police and Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command.
Dr. Austin has served with Liberty University since 2022. Prior to assuming his role as a Department Chair in 2024, he served as the DPA Program Director and as an adjunct faculty member. Dr. Austin’s research interests span the disciplines of Public Administration and Criminal Justice with a particular focus on law enforcement leadership and administration, law enforcement response to civil unrest, community policing, victimology, and intergovernmental relations.
Dr. Austin has been a presenter at several state and national conferences and serves as the Chair of the Victim Services Committee for the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
Memberships
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- International Association of Chiefs of Police
- Police Executive Research Forum
Research Interests
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- Leadership and Management in the Public Sector
- Intergovernmental Relations
- Police Response to Civil Unrest
- Networked Governance
- Police Use of Force