GSU police chief on leave following DUI arrest

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. - Georgia State University’s police chief has been placed on leave Monday following an arrest for DUI.

The Fayette County Sheriff's Office arrested Chief Joseph P. Spillane last weekend. According to the police report, Spillane will face charges of DUI-alcohol, open container, and failure to maintain lane.

Spillane was stopped along GA Highway 85 at Price Road on Sunday, June 18th around 12:27 a.m., according to the sheriff's office.

Georgia State University issued the following statement late Monday:

"The university takes this matter very seriously. We understand the severity of the offense, especially when it is committed by a law enforcement officer. The police chief has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of a university investigation."

A previous statement from the university clarified that Spillane was not on duty and was in his personal vehicle.

A former deputy chief of the Atlanta Police Department, Spillane was appointed GSU's chief in October of 2016.

Spillane has nearly 30 years of experience policing the streets of Atlanta and was valedictorian of his police academy class in 1988. He served in five of the city’s six precincts, becoming deputy chief in 2013.