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Sinclair GA Sept 7 2011 A University of Georgia police officer was remembered Tuesday for his service to the community following his drowning over the weekend at Lake Sinclair in Middle Georgia.
Officer Tyler Harris died just after midnight Sunday, and an autopsy to determine the cause of death was being conducted Tuesday at the Georgia Bureau of Investigation lab in Augusta, according to agency spokesman John Bankhead.

Harris, 24, of Peachtree City, was visiting with his parents, a brother and several friends in Hancock County when he decided to go for a swim just after midnight Sunday, according to Josh Copelan, a ranger with the Department of Natural Resources, which is investigating the drowning.

When family members hadn’t seen him in a while, they decided to go look for Harris, who they said was a good swimmer.

After a brief search, Harris’ body was found underwater, Copelan said.

“They pulled him out of the water and attempted CPR on him, but to no avail,” the ranger said. By the time an ambulance arrived, Harris was dead, Copelan said.

The ranger said Harris’ body was taken to Oconee Regional Medical Center in Milledgeville and then transported to the GBI lab in Augusta. Parts of Lake Sinclair are in three counties — Hancock, Baldwin and Putnam.

Copelan said the weather at the time of the incident was clear, though it did rain earlier Sunday.

The officer joined the UGA police force in February and had just completed the police academy and his field training program at the time of his death, Chief Jimmy Williamson said Tuesday.

Williamson said the department had high hopes for Harris, a Gainesville State College criminal justice graduate who the chief described as “tall and good looking” and always with a smile.

“His training officers say he was doing a really good job when it comes to serving the community and his judgment,” the chief said. “We definitely had high hopes for him, and I definitely think it’s a loss to everybody, not only a loss to his family, but definitely a loss to this community and this department.”