Since retiring from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Pembroke’s Alfonza Hagan has put his skills as a polygraph examiner to work as owner of Central Georgia Polygraph.

Friday at Southern Image Restaurant in Richmond Hill, Hagan was honored for that work by the Georgia Police Benevolent Association. 

During the event, Georgia PBA President Joe Naia, a longtime investigator with the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department, presented Hagan with a plaque for “his dedication, his commitment to his community and the state, and his unwavering work ethic,” Naia said. 

Hagan, owner of Central Georgia Polygraph for 11 years, said he was humbled by the award.

“The main thing for me is to do it right and with integrity, and do it right when no one’s looking,” he said. “Obviously someone has been looking, for me to receive this award.”

It isn’t the only award listed by Hagan, whose resume is a hefty one. It lists service ranging from chief investigator with the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office to work as a patrolman on the Pembroke Police Department. Hagen spent the last  18 years of his career as a special agent and supervisor with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, and won a number of awards, according to Central Georgia Polygraph. 

The company deals in part with sex offenders out on probation or parole. With offices in Savannah, Augusta and Decauter, Hagan and his staff of polygraph examiners have administered thousands of tests in Georgia and Florida, his website said. 

Hagan said his goal in administering polygraph tests to sex offenders is making sure they don’t get a chance to victimize others. 

“I’ve adopted the national slogan of ‘no new victims.’ Part of the management of the sex offender crowd is ensuring we never have another victim of sexual abuse or sexual violence,” Hagan said. “We talk a lot about victims who are children, but it goes to adult victims as well. Victims are why we work so hard to make sure sex offenders don’t reoffend.”

Polygraph examiners are trained in asking questions and reading answers, and Hagan is certified by the American Polygraph Association and at one time supervised the GBI’s statewide polygraph unit, his website said. 

Naia said he’s relied on Hagan often over the years. 

“He’s helped my county and my department many times,” Naia said. “His reliability is above reproach. He is just a great person, and a great law enforcement official.”

The Police Benevolent Association of Georgia has 14,000 members and is part of the Southern States PBA, which includes 11 states and 55,000 members.