SHIELDS OF SHAME | GEORGIA STATE PATROL | GOVERNOR’S MANSION
Caught at the Governor’s Mansion: Georgia State Trooper Adrian Hargett Fired and Decertified
Body camera footage, an Internal Affairs investigation and a Georgia POST certification case expose the consequences of a troubling on duty encounter.
Case review | October 8, 2026
What happened at the Governor’s Mansion?
Shields of Shame’s original records investigation concerns Georgia State Patrol officer Adrian Levince Hargett, who was questioned by fellow law enforcement personnel while assigned to duties involving the Governor’s Mansion. Officers discussed an odor of alcohol, possible impairment and Hargett’s recent activities. Hargett denied recent alcohol consumption and raised questions about medical issues and prior injuries during the recorded interaction.
The original investigation reports that Hargett was terminated and that Georgia POST revoked his peace officer certification for deception during an internal investigation. The official POST document is linked below so readers can examine the underlying disciplinary record. The fact that officers suspected alcohol use should not be confused with a proven criminal DUI conviction.
The recorded encounter
The body camera footage shows a discussion involving Hargett and other officers identified in the original reporting as Johnny Kirk, Lundy and Gass. They question Hargett about the smell of alcohol, his activities and whether he had consumed alcoholic beverages. Hargett discusses prior military service, back problems, head injuries and medication history. These statements are part of his explanation and should be evaluated against the official investigative findings.
When field sobriety testing is discussed, Hargett declines to participate. Officers then consider administrative testing and the potential employment consequences. Refusing a test is not itself proof that the subject was impaired; the subsequent Internal Affairs and POST findings must be examined separately.
From Internal Affairs to loss of certification
According to the original SOS investigation, the agency investigated Hargett, terminated his employment and referred the matter for certification review. The original page identifies the POST revocation ground as deceptive in an internal investigation. This is a particularly important distinction: a certification action for deception is not the same as a criminal conviction for impaired driving.
For an officer, a certification revocation can have consequences beyond one employer. Georgia POST controls state peace officer certification, and its administrative determinations are separate from a police department’s employment decision.
Primary evidence | Official POST file
Read the original Georgia POST record for the certification history and disciplinary grounds. This file opens in a new browser tab. No PDF is embedded.
Watch the four part video investigation
Each video opens on YouTube in a new tab, preserving the original SOS series.
VIDEO 1
Part 1 | Initial encounter
VIDEO 2
Part 2 | OPS and Hargett
VIDEO 3
Part 3 | Kirk and Gass
VIDEO 4
Part 4 | POST interview
Listen to Sgt. Lundy’s interview
The original archive includes an audio recording labeled IA Interview Sgt. Lundy. Listen to the original file directly or open it in a separate tab. The recording is source material; it should not be treated as a substitute for the entire investigative record.
Additional original video exhibits
Three video files preserved from the original investigation are linked below. The filenames are archival labels, not independent factual findings.
Open original video exhibit 1 ↗Open original video exhibit 2 ↗Open original video exhibit 3 ↗
UPDATE REVIEW | OCTOBER 2026
What has changed since the original investigation?
A search for later public developments did not identify a reliable new court disposition, reinstatement, or reversal of Hargett’s reported POST revocation. The historical disciplinary outcome described by the original SOS page remains the supported basis for this report. Current employment and certification standing should be verified with Georgia POST before being characterized as current.
Separately, Georgia opened a new State Patrol post on the Governor’s Mansion grounds in April 2025. That is relevant to the location’s broader law enforcement role, but is not evidence about Hargett’s individual case.
Why this case matters
Officers assigned to protect public officials operate in positions of exceptional trust. When an allegation of impairment arises on duty, the public has a legitimate interest in the original recordings, the quality of the internal investigation, the officer’s response and the final certification decision. Publishing the source records allows readers to separate the observed conduct, the agency’s findings and the consequences imposed.
Questions that remain
Was a criminal charge ever filed? What exact testimony or statement did POST find deceptive? Did Hargett seek administrative reconsideration or judicial review? Was his certification status later changed? Those questions should be answered through court dockets and updated POST records rather than inference from edited video clips.
Related investigations and official sources
SOS Georgia DPS investigation archive ↗Georgia POST ↗Georgia Department of Public Safety ↗
Support original records reporting
Independent investigation requires records requests, video preservation and source review. Support the Shields of Shame Open Records Fund to help keep public accountability documents available.
Editorial standard: This article distinguishes recorded observations, officer statements, employment discipline, POST certification decisions and criminal convictions. The official POST file is linked for independent examination. Updated October 8, 2026.