Page 38 - Walton Living

‘Portraits of Courage’

Loganville Police Chief takes on duty of dedication as he paints

all Georgia’s fallen State Patrol troopers

By Sharon Swanepoel

e may not be a past president who has taken up painting his wife, he found very humbling.
after getting out of office, but not unlike former Presi- “He learned how each trooper died and he wanted each painting
Hdent George Bush, current Loganville Police Chief Mike to be amazing,” Chris McHugh said. “This has been so humbling for
McHugh is working on his own version of “Portraits of Courage.” him.”
McHugh, who dabbles in painting in his o duty time, has been com- McHugh said he has painted for several years and this commission
missioned by the Georgia Department of Public Safety to paint the from the GSP came about after he had painted a portrait of the
portraits of all 27 Georgia State Patrol trooper who have died in the father of one of his employees at the Loganville Police Department.
line of duty since 1 . The first 11 of the GSP Trooper’s portraits “His wife still works here and she had taken a picture of the por-
in the “Lest We Forget” series were revealed at the 8 th Anniversary trait and shown it to them and I guess they seemed to be impressed,”
Celebration of GSP on March 11, 2 1 . nce the series is complete, McHugh said. “Gordy Wright of the GSP then called me last fall
it will be on display at the Department of Public Safety headquarters and gave me a contract. I did four for them initially.”
in Atlanta. McHugh said he then met again with Wright as well as Col. Mark
While many marvel at this hidden talent in the Loganville police W. McDonough, Commissioner of the Department of Public Safety,
chief, for McHugh it was a labor of love and one that, according to and was given the commission to complete the whole