GBI

GBI – the Georgia Bureau of Investigation – is a state-level investigative agency belonging to the US state of Georgia. The agency functions as an intermediary between local police authorities and federal bodies such as the FBI, and it is not part of Danish or European law. The GBI's core tasks cover three main areas: criminal investigation, forensic laboratory services, and the collection and sharing of crime-related information and intelligence. On request from local or regional officials in Georgia, the agency can step into complex criminal cases, including homicides, disappearances, and cases involving unidentified human remains.

A central characteristic of the GBI is that the agency is, as a starting point, an assisting unit. This means it typically initiates investigations following a formal request from local authorities – for example a sheriff's office or a prosecuting authority – rather than on its own initiative. This distinguishes the GBI from federal bodies such as the FBI, which operate with broader independent jurisdiction.

In cases involving serious crime in Georgia, including serial killings and unsolved homicides, the GBI frequently appears as a central actor. The agency's forensic laboratories and specialised investigators supplement the resources typically available to smaller local police units. In the case of 'Flint River Killer' Carl Millard Patton Jr., who was charged with five murders in Georgia, the GBI was involved as part of the overall investigative effort in the state.