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Officer Forrest Jones received the academic award for highest overall average during his 10 week academy class.
Officer Jones was one of four Dalton officers that recently graduated from the State's Basic Law Enforcement Academy Class. There were a total of 16 students that completed the 10 weeks of instruction certifying them as Georgia peace officers.
Officer Forrest Jones holding his award for achieving the highest overall grade point average for his class
Four Dalton Police Officers graduated this past Friday after completing 10 weeks of basic police training at the regional academy in Dalton.
Officers Forrest Jones of Rome, Chad Owen of Ft. Oglethorpe, Jason Robinson of Cohutta, and Brian Early of Dalton will begin a 16 week Police Training Officer Program. This program involves problem based learning and community oriented policing techniques.
From left to right, Officer Brian Early, Officer Chad Owen, Chief James Chadwick, Officer Forrest Jones, and Officer Jason Robinson
Two Dalton Officers recently graduated from a one week fitness instructor course held at the Cooper Institute in Dallas, Texas.
The course is designed to certify officers in administering fitness tests to other officers or individuals. Sergeant Chris Cooke and Officer Jason Thompson join three other officers already certified as fitness instructors.
Current officers must complete this test yearly. Applicants are required to undergo the fitness test prior to being considered for employment.
The individual tests and what they measure are included below:
The next series of tests for current officers will be taking place this week
In an unfortunate occurance, a 7-year old girl was seriously injured during a parade in Alabama when she ran out into the street to get candy thrown by the participants.
Parents are urged to watch their children and to teach them not to run into the roadway for any reason.
As an additonal precaution, we commonly ask participants to not throw candy during such events.
The Chaplains Division and Dalton Police Department are once again supporting the Whitfield County Department of Family and Children's Service Secret Santa Program. This program helps to provide Christmas for children in foster care.
As of October 1, 2006 there were 280 children in Foster Care Placements. These children are unable to live with their birth families because of physical and sexual abuse, abandonment, neglect, and/or severe family dysfunction. We are simply sending the agency a check from the Chaplains Fund of
whatever we collect to support this endeavor.
If you wish to make a donation, please mail checks to:
Dalton Georgia Chaplains' Corps P. O. Box 2433, Dalton, GA 30722-2433. Please make checks payable to Dalton Georgia Chaplains' Corps. If you donate, please do so by December 8, 2006.
Thanks so much and have a Merry Christmas!
Chaplain Ray McCranie
The Northwest Georgia Police Academy will hold its next graduation ceremony at Dalton City Hall today, November 10 at 2:00 p.m., according to Academy Director Major Greg Moss. The academy serves officers from several cities and counties in Northwest Georgia.
The Dalton Police Department has four new officers in the academy class. These officers will immediately begin further, more specific training on their duties as Dalton Police Officers. This training, based on the Police Training Officer model, involves further instruction from experienced Dalton officers as well as problem-based scenarios. Lasting about twelve (12) additional weeks, the training is geared to teach officers to think through and solve community problems.
Badge Ceremony
The four Dalton officers will receive their badges in a ceremony at the Police Services Center, 301 Jones Street, at 12:30 p.m. The graduation will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Dalton City Hall located at 300 West Waugh Street.
In the last article, we looked at the three different security layers of your home. I now want to look at each of these layers in more detail.
First Layer - As previously mentioned, this is the area seperating your property line with that of other private or public property. Attention paid to this area will send a clear signal to everyone that you have "marked" your territory. Fences need not be ten feet high with concentina wire across the top, other more attractive types, while not as secure, will send the same signal in a more subtle way. If fences are not an option, then landscaping is another option to clearly "mark" your property line.
Second Layer - This comprises the area between your property line and the exterior of your home. What are some steps that we can do in this area to better secure our home?
Third Layer - This consists of the interior of the home. The following steps are recommended in this area:
All the above, except for the alarm system, can be done relatively inexpensively. Take the time now to take a hard look at the security measures in and around your home.
Proactive measures, like the ones above, are your best way to reduce your chances of being a victim of burglary or other crimes inside your home.
The Dalton Police Department has named Officer Steve Zahn as the new public information officer for traffic related issues. Officer Chris McDonald, the current Public Information Officer, will still be the primary contact for all other police related issues.
Officer Zahn is currently serving with the Special Operations Unit in the department’s Patrol Division. The topics he will be discussing with the media will include:
This is being done to further provide traffic related information to the public in an accurate and timely fashion.
As we enter the busy holiday season, it is very important for us all to be mindful of some of the less pleasant realities that go along with it: vehicle break-ins. Large gatherings and shopping centers may provide an easy target unless we all take a few steps to lessen our chances of being victimized.
During a recent football game, the police department received five reports of vehicle break-ins in the area of Harmon Field. All the victims left their purse in plain view inside the vehicle. In each case, the offender broke out the vehicles side glass and took the purse.
Ideally, you should never leave anything of value in your unattended vehicle. However, I know that is not always possible. If so, you should:
In most cases, criminals will not enter your vehicle on the assumption that something of value may be inside. Don't make your hard-earned belongings an easy target!
Remember, the theft may only be the beginning. In most cases, thieves will use your credit cards and checks to purchase goods. They will also have your personal data making you more vulnerable to Identity Theft.
So, please take the extra time to secure your personal items and valuables before you leave your vehicle, and report any suspicious persons you see prowling around parked cars.
Chris McDonald, Crime Prevention/Public Information Officer.
One of the most effective ways residents can do to protect their neighborhoods is to start a Neighborhood watch. An effective neighborhood watch program is a tremendous deterrent to crime in a community.
The neighborhood watch program is defined as "a citizens organization devoted to crime and vandalism prevention within a neighborhood".
The current American system of neighborhood watches began development in the late 1960's following the rape and murder of a female named Kitty Genovese in Queens, New York. In this case, dozens of witnesses did nothing to save the woman or to apprehend the attacker. From this incident, many formed groups to watch over their neighborhoods. In 1972, the National Sheriff's Association began a concerted effort to organize this program into what we recognize today.
While 1972 marked the official beginning of the neighborhood watch programs, the basis for this program existed long before this time in America.
One of the first of its time was Boston's night watch, formed in 1631. It consisted of 6 watchmen and hundreds of volunteers. While professionals were paid, most of the work was done by unpaid volunteers.
There is some misinformation on neighborhood watch programs with the most common being that the police organize and maintain the program. While the police department gives assistance and guidance to the residents in how to start and maintain an effective program, the residents themselves take responsibility for watching their neighborhoods.
We have several effective neighborhood watch programs in Dalton. If you are interested in starting or rejuvenating an existing neighborhood watch in your area, please call Officer Chris McDonald at (706) 278-9085 extension 177 for information on setting up the first meeting.
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