The Dalton Police Department is
asking for help from the public in identifying a suspect in the April theft of
a motorcycle from the parking lot of an area credit union. The incident was recorded by surveillance
cameras, but only the van used in the crime was captured. The suspects could not be seen.
The incident happened shortly after
6:30 pm on April 7th at the HealthCom Credit Union at 1412
Chattanooga Avenue. A white van can be
seen pulling up next to where the motorcycle was parked. Unfortunately the video skipped during the
theft of the motorcycle and the next frame shows the van turning around and
leaving with the back doors slightly ajar and the front wheel of the motorcycle
sticking out. The only occupant visible
in the van was the driver. Surveillance
images of the van are included with this release.
Anyone with information on this
incident or the identity of suspects is asked to please contact Detective Matt
Lowery at 706-278-9085 extension 133.
Officers from the Dalton Police Department joined deputies from the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday to take part in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run fundraiser for Special Olympics Georgia. Each year, law enforcement agencies across the state take part in similar runs in their counties to make up the largest fund raising effort for SOGA each year. In Whitfield County, officers and deputies run a nine mile course which is divided into three segments finishing at the Gordon County line.
Officers and deputies started the run on Wednesday morning under bright sunny skies with a jog through a cheering crowd at City Park Elementary School, following the lead of Sheriff Scott Chitwood who carried the torch down Thornton Avenue to Bryman's Plaza. From there, the torch runners traveled to the south bypass by bus and then ran to Highway 41 and stopped at Valley Point Elementary School where they were greeted with another cheering crowd of kids. After that mid-race pep rally, the runners tackled the final segment with a run to the Gordon County line.
Below: Scenes from the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run in Whitfield County. To see more pictures from the event, click here to see a photo gallery on the DPD Facebook page.
The Dalton Police Department observed National Police Week and Peace Officers' Memorial Day with a ceremony Tuesday morning at Dalton City Hall. The occasion was marked with a procession of officers, the presentation of a proclamation from the mayor and council, and a special recognition for the family of a fallen Dalton officer who died in 1956.
The ceremony began with a procession of officers and staff marching down Waugh Street from the Police Services Center to Dalton City Hall. The march was led by members of the DPD's Honor Guard and bag piper Michael Whinery from the Chattanooga Pipe Band, Inc. Firefighter Gary Stanley from the Dalton Fire Department's Honor Guard sang the national anthem after the presentation of colors.
Dalton Police Chief Jason Parker, Public Safety Commission Chairman Bill Weaver, and Dalton Mayor David Pennington all offered remarks praising the courage and integrity of the Dalton Police Department and of law enforcement officers everywhere.
A special recognition was made of the family of Officer Maurice Phillips, Sr. who lost his life in an accidental shooting in December 1956 (click here to visit Officer Phillips' page on the Officer Down Memorial). Chief Parker welcomed the family and presented them with a folded American flag.
DPD Public Relations Specialist Bruce Frazier then read the "Spartan Oath" to the assembled crowd. The oath, which first appeared in Richard Lee's book "Gates of Fire", references an actual shield but it is also reflective of a modern police officer's attitude towards his or her own oath of service, and his or her own shield, the badge. It reads:
"This is my Shield. I bear it before me in battle, but it is not my own. It protects my brother on my left, it protects my city. I will never let my brother out of its shadow, nor my city from its shelter. I will die with my shield before me, facing the enemy."
Then, Frazier read the names of the ten law enforcement officers from Georgia or the Dalton area who died in the line of duty since last May. Those honored were Officer Justin Durwood Maples, Cleveland, TN Police Department, May 20, 2012; Sergeant Robert Warren Crapse, Sr., Bryan County Sheriff's Office, June 15, 2012; K9 Sasha, Warwick Police Department, September 1, 2012; Officer Larry L. Stell, Georgia Department of Corrections, October 11, 2012; Officer Richard Joseph Halford, Atlanta Police Department, November 3, 2012; Officer Shawn Antonio Smiley, Atlanta Police Department, November 3, 2012; Officer Elgin Levarn Daniel, Henry County Police Department, November 12, 2012; and Officer Sean Louis Callahan, Clayton County Police Department, December 18, 2012.
National Police Week began in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy declared May 15th to be National Peace Officers' Memorial Day, and the week in which the 15th falls to be a week honoring police officers. This year, National Police Week is Sunday, May 12th through Saturday, May 18th.
To see a photo gallery from the ceremony, click here.
Click "Play" in the window below to see video of the procession of police officers and staff up Waugh Street to the ceremony.
Tuesday morning’s ceremony included a
procession of police officers up Waugh Street to City Hall escorted by the
Dalton Police Department’s Honor Guard and bag piper Michael Whinery from the
City of Chattanooga Pipe Band, Inc.
Dalton firefighter Gary Stanley from the DFD Honor Guard sang the
national anthem at the ceremony. Chief
Jason Parker and Public Safety Commission Chairman Bill Weaver addressed the
gathering and Mayor David Pennington read a proclamation declaring this week to
be Police Week in Dalton.
A special recognition was made in
honor of the late Officer Maurice Phillips, Sr. who was killed in an accidental
shooting in December 1956. Chief Parker
presented a folded American flag to members of Officer Phillips’ family who
were in attendance. Afterwards, the
names of all Georgia and regional law enforcement officers who were killed in
the line of duty since last May were read aloud.
National Police Week began in 1962 when President John F. Kennedy
declared May 15th to be National Peace Officers' Memorial Day, and the week in
which the 15th falls to be a week honoring police officers.
New
DPD Officers Confirmed
Before Tuesday morning’s ceremony,
Dalton Police Chief Jason Parker introduced three new officers to the Public
Safety Commission. Officers Bart Chandler, Lane Bennett, and Michael Ware were
all confirmed by unanimous vote of the PSC at the April meeting but were unable
to attend that session.
Officer Chandler is returning for a
second tour of duty with the Dalton Police Department, having also worked with
the DPD from August 2001 to May 2004 before leaving to work for the Simpson
Bridge Company. Chandler also served as
a reserve officer with the Cohutta Police Department from January 2010 to March
2013. He also served for five years in
the Army. Officer Bennett is a 2001
graduate of Gordon Central High School and served as a firefighter in Gordon
County. Officer Ware is a 2008 graduate
of Fannin County High School.
Below: (from L to R) Officers Bart Chander, Lane Bennett, and Michael Ware
DPD Statistics
Chief Parker reported that the crime rate for April 2013 was
nearly identical to the same month in 2012.
For the year to date, Part 1 crimes have increased by 5%. Chief Parker reported that while there were
slight increases in aggravated assault and theft in April, property crimes have
continued to show the most significant rise in Dalton.
Good news came in the area of traffic crashes. While crashes showed an 11% increase compared
to April 2012, they’re still down for the year to date by nearly 3%.
The Dalton Public
Safety Commission is comprised of Chairman William B. Weaver, Carlos Calderin,
Terry Mathis, Keith Whitworth, and Kenneth E. Willis.
Memorial Day signals the start of a summer of fun in the sun and the start of a busy travel season. Unfortunately, it
also signals a jump in the rate of roadway fatalities all across Georgia. According to the Governor’s Office of Highway
Safety, fifteen motorists lost their lives on Georgia's roads last year over the Memorial Day weekend.
In an effort to prevent serious injury crashes, the officers of the Dalton Police Department will be
participating in the nationwide Click it
or Ticket campaign beginning May 20th and continuing thru June 2nd.
The goal of the department’s
participation in the national mobilization is to influence motorists to buckle up
every day and not just the holiday weekend.
According to the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, one in five Americans fail to regularly wear a
seat belt. Data from the National Safety Council credits safety belt usage with saving more than 75,000 lives in the four year period from 2004 to 2008. The NSC reports that more than 1,000 lives could be saved across the US if safety belt usage hit even 90 percent of all vehicle occupants.
Here are a few more safety tips
from the National Safety Council to ensure a safer Memorial Day holiday
weekend.
Drivers should:
Refrain
from all cell phone use behind the wheel
Make
sure all passengers are buckled up and children are in age-appropriate
safety seats
All
children 12 and under should always be in the back seat
Allow
plenty of travel time to avoid frustration and diminish the impulse to
speed
Drive
defensively and exercise caution, especially during inclement weather
Avoid
driving while drowsy
Designate
a “non-drinking” driver – even moderate consumption of alcohol impairs
reaction time and driving judgment
For questions concerning occupant safety laws, please
contact the Dalton Police Department Traffic Enforcement Unit at 706-278-9085
ext. 124.
A portion of Waugh Street near downtown will be closed briefly Tuesday morning as part of the Dalton Police Department's observance of Peace Officers' Memorial Day and National Police Week.
On Tuesday, May 14th, the stretch of Waugh Street between Jones Street and Selvidge Street will be closed between approximately 9:00 am and 9:30 am. The road will be closed for a procession of police officers and the DPD Honor Guard to walk from the Police Services Center to Dalton's City Hall for the ceremony.
The Dalton Police Department will
commemorate Peace Officers' Memorial Day and National Police Week on Tuesday, May 14th at Dalton City
Hall. The ceremony will take place at
approximately 9:15 am after the monthly meeting of the Dalton Public Safety
Commission which has been moved from its usual date to coincide with this
event.
A procession will be led by the DPD
Honor Guard up Waugh Street from the Police Services Center to the front of
Dalton City Hall. The ceremony will take
place in front of City Hall (weather permitting) and will include the singing
of the national anthem by a member of the Dalton Fire Department’s Honor Guard
and a reading of the names of all Georgia or regional police officers who have
died in the line of duty in the past year.
There will also be a special presentation made to the family of former
Dalton Police Officer Maurice Phillips, Sr. who died in the line of duty on
December 25, 1956.
The observation of National Police Week began in 1962 when President John
F. Kennedy declared May 15th to be National Peace Officers' Memorial
Day, and the week in which it falls to be a week honoring police
officers. This year, National Police Week is Sunday, May 12th
through Saturday, May 18th.
The Dalton Police Department's 21st Citizens Police Academy met for the final time tonight for a graduation banquet at Ryman Hall. After a dinner and an address from DPD Chief Jason Parker, the group received their diplomas on stage.
The 2013 group boasts the largest graduating class in the history of the DPD's Citizens Police Academy program. The class has been meeting on Tuesday nights for the past ten weeks to learn about every aspect of the agency's operation. Highlights of the class included a night at the Whitfield County Firing Range to test fire each of the DPD's issued firearms and an up close look at Crime Scene Investigation. Citizens Academy members also got the chance to take a ride-along with DPD officers and also experienced what it's like to be an officer themselves with the use of a training simulator.
The police department hosts the Citizens Police Academy once a year starting in February. Applications for the 2014 class will be taken later this fall so stay tuned to the Dalton Police Blog for details on how you can be a part of the next session.
Below: The DPD Honor Guard stands ready to present the colors before Tuesday night's graduation banquet; Chief Jason Parker addresses the 21st Citizens Police Academy class after dinner; After receiving their diplomas the Citizens Academy class poses for group photos (click images to see a larger version)
The Dalton Police Department is
asking for help from the public with identifying a man who stole a Gateway
computer from the Walmart on Shugart Road in April. The incident was captured on surveillance
video and pictures of the suspect are included below.
The theft happened at approximately
12:20 pm on April 10th. A
white male entered the store and loaded a Gateway model SX2110G computer into
his shopping cart and then walked out of the main entrance without paying for
it. The computer is valued $299.96. The suspect then got into a green Chevrolet
Blazer or GMC Jimmy and left the store. A picture of the suspect's vehicle is also included below.
The suspect is a large, muscular
white male with a shaved head and goatee.
He wore a dark shirt and blue jeans.
Anyone with information on the
identity of this suspect is asked to please contact Detective Matt Lowery at
706-278-9085 extension 133.
Below: Pictures of the suspect and his vehicle (click to see a larger version)
The Dalton Police Department’s new
municipal code enforcement plan has been in place for nearly 60 days and it is
already leading to positive changes. So far, the effort has led to the
demolition of a dangerous building and officials are working toward the
elimination of several others; the department has taken more than 80 reports on
code issues and also issued more than 30 notices of violation, the majority of
which have been resolved quickly without further action.
The department assigned Officer Chris
Cochran to full-time municipal code enforcement duties in early March. The
agency also created a new website where residents can submit complaints about
properties which might be in violation of city codes. So far, the site has
collected approximately 20 complaints.
The majority of complaints have come in by phone.
The new approach to code enforcement
led to the destruction of a dangerous building at 931 East Morris Street in
April. The building had been gutted by a
fire but was still standing. The
building inspector’s office had served notice on the owners in June 2012 giving
120 days to repair or demolish the structure.
Officer Cochran found that neither had happened and no further action
had been taken. Officer Cochran then
issued a citation ordering the property owner to appear in Municipal
Court. On April 17th, the
court ordered the owner to have the building demolished which was completed by
April 30th.
Two other abandoned and dangerous
buildings (1120 Ridgeleigh Circle and 910 Avenue C) have also been through the
court process and are awaiting demolition.
In all, six citations for dangerous buildings have so far been issued. Other notices of violation have led to action
on the part of property owners to remove debris and garbage from lots, remove
fences that obstruct views at intersections, and the removal of abandoned
vehicles.
“Considering the number of property parcels in the
city—about 10,000, and the level of decline in some, I believe the progress so
far has been excellent,” said Chief Jason Parker. “Officer Cochran has been diligently
responding to complaints, investigating others on his own, and getting the
assistance of other officers.”
The effort is intended not just to
maintain property values and community pride but also to have a positive impact
on crime prevention. Research
suggests that areas where property codes are enforced experience less crime
than areas where property is neglected. The so-called “Broken Windows
Theory” states that areas where buildings are allowed to fall into disrepair
experience more crime because criminals feel there is less order and residents
are less vigilant. The theory was first put forth by researcher James Q.
Wilson in a 1982 article in The Atlantic. In 2005, researchers from Harvard and
Suffolk Universities found that when issues such as broken street lamps,
litter, building codes were focused on in crime “hot spots” in Lowell
Massachusetts, calls for service in those areas fell by 20 percent.
“The feedback from
the community has been mostly positive,” Chief Parker said of the department’s
renewed focus on code enforcement. “Most who are concerned would like us to
move more quickly; we would like that as well but it will take some time to
correct years of decline on some properties.”
Dalton residents who wish to contact the Dalton Police
Department with concerns about code enforcement issues in the city can submit a
complaint online at www.safedalton.com
or by email at code@cityofdalton-ga.gov. Officer Cochran can be reaced at 706-278-9085
extension 173.
Dalton’s municipal codes can be found online by clicking here. The sections governing dangerous buildings
are 22-421 and 22-422.
Map of DPD Neighborhood Beats Click here to view a .pdf map of Dalton divided into individual neighborhood beats. Click the red beat number to find the contact info for the officer assigned to that beat. To return to the map, return to Page 1 of the .pdf document.
