Carl E. "Ed" Spiva

1953 - 2021

Carl E. "Ed" Spiva
Savannah
Carl Edgar Spiva was born on July 20, 1953. He was a veteran Law Enforcement Officer known to his friends and associates as "Ed".
He was an amazing husband to Sabrina, the world's greatest brother, dad, grandfather, friend and a respected police officer.
He is survived by his wife Sabrina Kim Spiva, his brother Howard Spiva (Kelly), his son Earnest Spiva (Kelly), his grandchildren, Devon Spiva, Aspen Spiva, and Vivian Spiva who were his pride and joy and he loved them dearly. Also surviving are his nephews Gene Spiva (Gage), Bryan Woods (Kelly), Clay Porter and his niece Michelle Masteller (Bob). He has many cousins, aunts and uncles and some relatives that he doesn't claim.
He was predeceased by his father Earnest "Ed" Edgar Spiva, his mother Vivian Tarpley Spiva Williams and his sister Elaine Spiva Woods Watson.
Ed began his Law Enforcement Career in 1974 in South Carolina (Hilton Head, Palmetto Dunes, Ridgeland and North Augusta) he worked as a general-patrol officer, a sergeant in crime prevention and public relations and a detective in undercover drug operations. He was a policeman's policeman. He taught and shared his knowledge with everyone.
In 1980, he joined the Chatham County Police Department. In December of 1982 he became a member of the Metropolitan Drug Squad. He remained on the drug unit until June of 1993, except for temporary duty assignments with the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force and the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Squad.
He has written, taught and given classes for the Georgia Police Academy, the Governors Organized Crime Prevention Council, the Regional Counterdrug Training Academy, at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth Georgia and other law enforcement academies.
In 1993, Ed vested his time with Chatham County Police and contracted with the Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Special Investigation for the Air Force, Internal Revenue Service, Army Special Forces and other State, Federal and Local Law Enforcement agencies.
He served as a Training Coordinator for the State of Georgia at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth, Georgia. In June 1995, Ed started teaching full time at the Georgia Police Academy where he specialized in Drug Enforcement, Electronic Surveillance, and Gang Organizations.
Ed was a well-known and highly respected instructor in the law enforcement community. He was a great teacher and taught many classes along with his brother Howard on real estate, asset protection and tax structuring. Ed helped many people by holding classes, meetings and he also taught people one on one. His knowledge and skills in communicating with his students, private investigators, police officers and the public was outstanding.
He was a Legend.
Ed has trained federal, state, and local law enforcement officers nationally and internationally in forty-eight states and three countries in the use of electronic surveillance equipment.
Ed was a consultant on many television programs for Pursuit Production and Real TV. His videos where shared on the TV shows "Cops" and "Police Chase and Pursuit". He was carrying a huge video camera and filming arrest in the 1980s (before the police shows like Cops).
He earned his P.O.S.T. (Police Officer Standard & Training) Certified Senior Instructor in 1987.
In 1999 became a state certified private investigator and a Certified Instructor for the Georgia Board of Private Detectives and Security Agencies.
Ed became an independent contractor in March of 2000. He has been with Spiva Law Group since June of 2000.
For the last 21 years he has worked side by side with his brother in the family's law firm. Ed helped many deserving clients get justice. His contributions defined the core values of Spiva Law Group's reputation of "service strength and results". Ed helped many widows, orphans and deserving families get justice. He truly changed everyone's life that he touched.
Carl "Ed" Spiva is the world's greatest brother! He was Howard's "wingman" and will forever be missed.
The family is creating an account to benefit the widows and orphans of police officers who are killed in the line of duty, in Ed's honor/ name; under The Justice for Children Foundation, Inc., a Georgia nonprofit.
The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 o'clock Friday, April 30, 2021, at Gamble Funeral Service – 410 Stephenson Avenue.
The funeral service will be held at 7 o'clock Friday evening, April 30, 2021, in the chapel of Gamble Funeral Service. Interment will be private.
Please share your thoughts about Ed and his life at www.gamblefuneralservice.com.
Savannah Morning News
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