MARIETTA - The Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police on Tuesday selected Marietta Police Chief Dan Flynn Outstanding Chief of the Year.

Flynn was presented the award Tuesday night at the GACP's annual banquet in Savannah, and was thus unavailable for comment as of press time.

Flynn, who was appointed Marietta's police chief in January 2007, was selected for the high honor because of his "proactive contributions to his department, the GACP, and to the state's law enforcement community," according to a press release from the GACP.

GACP Executive Director Frank Rotondo said, "I have counted on Chief Flynn's assistance many times during legislative sessions to give expert testimony and he has never let the profession down. He has always been available and willing to assist in any way possible."

Since his appointment, according to the GACP, Flynn "has implemented several initiatives to improve the safety of officers and increase their access to information to assist them in their jobs. His first major initiative addressed officer safety. Chief Flynn added Tasers to the arsenal of less lethal force weapons for officers in the department. This implementation reduced officer injuries by 50 percent in 2008 compared to 2007."

Flynn has been in law enforcement for more than 36 years. He served as Savannah's police chief from 2000 to 2006. During his tenure there, the countywide department reduced violent crime by half and produced the lowest crime rate in 27 years, according to the GACP.

He was recently inducted into George Mason University's Evidence-Based Policing Hall of Fame.

Flynn holds a bachelor's in Public Administration from St. Thomas University in Florida and a master's in Public Administration from Florida International University. He also holds a graduate certificate in executive leadership from the University of Miami and another in personnel management and labor relations from Florida International University. Flynn is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy.