Nestled on one of Georgia’s barrier islands, Tybee is a small beach community approximately 18 miles east of historic Savannah, GA. Incorporated in 1887, the city was originally accessible only by rail or boat. In 1898, the sparsely populated island became home to Fort Screven, a military installation that would play an important role in coastal defense through WWII.

The 1920’s saw the completion of Highway 80, which made the island much easier to reach. As it grew in popularity, the city’s name was changed to “Savannah Beach”. Of course, the more things change, the more things stay the same, and in the late 1970’s the island reverted back to its original name.

Today, Tybee has just over 3,000 full time residents, but its reputation as a popular beach vacation destination attracts thousands of visitors from across the world every year!

At the heart of it all is the Tybee Island Police Department. With over 30 full-time team members, our agency is able to provide professional law enforcement services to residents and guests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition to our patrol function, TIPD is comprised of Criminal Investigations and Administrative Divisions, as well as our own 911 center.

In the past, Tybee had a reputation as a “sleepy small town by the sea”. Today, we’re utilizing cutting edge technology and modern law enforcement techniques in our mission to make the island an even safer place to live, work, and play!

Of course, even when they’re not busy enforcing the law, the men and women of the Tybee Island Police Department play an active role in our community. From working alongside the Humane Society for Greater Savannah, to raising money for the families of critically ill children, our team makes it clear that the police and the public are better together. We’re proud to say that since 2018, two of our outreach programs have received recognition on the state or national level!

  • Dr. Curtis McClung Motorola Award of Excellence- Presented by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police for “Operation Starlight”.

  • State of Georgia Law Enforcement Certification - Presented by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police

  • Dr. Curtis McClung Motorola Award of Excellence Finalist- Presented by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police for “K9 for A Day”

  • Agency DUI Hero Award - Presented by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)

  • 3rd Place Category 3 Governor’s Challenge - Presented by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS)

  • Agency of the Year - Presented by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) Southeastern Traffic Enforcement Network (SETEN)

  • Agency DUI Hero Award - Presented by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)

  • 2nd Place Category 2 Governor’s Challenge - Presented by the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS)

  • State of Georgia Law Enforcement Certification - Presented by the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police

  • Human Animal Bond Innovation Award “Pet-Inclusive Infrastructure” - Presented by the Human Animal Bond Research Institute for “K9 for a Day”

  • 1st Place DUI Hero Category 2 -Presented by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)

  • Phyllis Goodwin Agency of the Year Award - Presented by the Georgia Chapter of the FBI National Academy Associates (GAFBINAA)