Dalton Police Blog

Video: Whitfield County Disaster Drill

On Wednesday morning, October 8th, public safety agencies in and around Whitfield County participated in a disaster readiness drill.  Agencies responded to a mock chemical spill in Whitfield County, managing the scene and rescuing victims.  A steady, soaking rain wasn't part of the plan for the drill, but it didn't hamper efforts to successfully get the simulated spill scene under control.

The county's reverse-911 system was also used to alert residents within a mile of the "accident" that a simulation was in progress, and not to be alarmed by the emergency crews.  In the event of an actual emergency, the reverse-911 system would have been used to alert neighboring residents about what to do to protect themselves.  In the spill scenario, residents would have been encouraged to "shelter in place".  That is, to turn off all air conditioners and heaters, close all windows, and wait inside for the problem to be resolved.

Agencies participating in the drill included the Dalton Police Department, Whitfield County Fire Department, Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office, Dalton Fire Department, Dalton State College Police, the National Weather Service, the Whitfield County School District, the North GA Health District, the Medical Reserve Corps, and GEMA, among others.

Click here to read about the drill in the Dalton Daily Citizen.  Or, click here to read more in the Chattanooga Times Free Press.

Below: Hazardous Materials personnel work at the scene of the mock disaster, 911 crews work inside of the Mobile Command Center, and rescue personnel try to stay dry under a tent (Click thumbnails for larger versions of the image)

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Click play in the window below for video from the disaster drill.

Public Safety Officers Visit Brookwood Elementary

Employees of Dalton's Public Safety agencies were among visitors to Brookwood Elementary School's career day on Thursday morning, showing off their vehicles and telling students all about their jobs.

Officer Dennis Eaton from the Dalton Police Department showed Brookwood students the tools officers use to do their jobs, and also gave the kids a peek inside of his police car.  He also told the kids to learn their home addresses and phone numbers, just in case they ever needed them in an emergency.

Dalton firefighters and an EMS crew were also on hand to talk about their jobs and give the students a taste of what it's like to work in public safety. 

Below: Students at Brookwood Elementary get an up-close look at a Dalton Police Car, and a Fire Truck (click thumbnails for a larger version of the image)

Dalton Police Seek Missing Brothers

Updated 10/21/08: Missing brothers James and Jonah Begley were found by their aunt after running away from home.

Scholarship Ceremony

The City of Dalton Public Safety Scholarship was officially endowed Monday evening by the chiefs of the Dalton Police Department and Dalton Fire Department.

The scholarship, which was made possible through public donations, will be awarded for the first time next April for students enrolled at Dalton State College for the Fall 2009 semester.  Funds for the scholarship were raised at a benefit dinner at the Dalton Depot Restaurant in August.  The selection criteria for the scholarship were then determined by a six-member committee, three representatives each from the fire and police departments.  The scholarship will now be administered by the Dalton State College Foundation, which will make all decisions regarding selection of a recipient.

The DSC Foundation’s scholarship application for the 2009-2010 academic year will be available on November 1st at the DSC Office of Financial Aid in the Pope Student Center or on the college’s website at www.daltonstate.edu/alumni_foundation/scholarships.htm.   

Persons wishing to make contributions to the scholarship may do so through the DSC Foundation, 650 College Drive, Dalton GA, 30720 or by contacting David Elrod, Director of Institutional Advancement at Dalton State, 706-272-4473.

Back row, Left to Right: Melissa Russell (DFD), Dan Hudson (DFD), Ricky Long (DPD), Ronny Jones (DFD), Brad Jones (DPD), John Helton (DPD).  Seated: Chief Barry Gober (DFD), Chief Jason Parker (DPD)  Click thumbnail for larger image.

Click play in the window below for video from the signing of the scholarship endowment

Disaster Readiness Drill Set for Wednesday

The Dalton Police Department is one of the agencies participating in a disaster readiness drill tomorrow (Wednesday, October 8th) morning. The drill will take place in the area of Corporate Drive in Dalton from approximately 9 AM until approximately noon.

The drill will involve a simulated chemical release as well as a surge of simulated victims being rushed to Hamilton Medical Center.

Participating agencies include: Dalton Police, Whitfield County Fire, Whitfield County Sherriff’s Office, Dalton Fire, Dalton State College Police, National Weather Service, Whitfield County Schools, the North GA Health District, the Medical Reserve Corps, and GEMA.

Citizens in the Corporate Drive area are advised not to be alarmed by the drill on Wednesday morning.

Brookwood Students Visit the Police Department

Pre-kindergarten students from Brookwood Elementary School got a behind-the-scenes look at the Dalton Police Department on Monday morning.

40 Pre-K students came to tour the Police Services Center at 301 Jones Street to kick off their lessons about public safety.  After the checking out the Police Department, the students toured the Dalton Fire Department's Station #1, and also got an inside look at the main Post Office on Thornton Avenue.

While at the Police Services Center, the students got a look at all the tools officers use to do their jobs, and also learned when to call 911 for help.  They also got an up-close look at one of the department's police cars.

Below: Brookwood Elementary students listen to Officer Brian Pack explain how police officers do their job, and also get a look at one of the department's police cars.  (Click on the thumbnails below for larger images)

Car Booster Seat Video

Click "play" in the video player below to watch a representative of Safe Kids USA giving some car booster seat safety tips to CBS News.

Click here for more information on car booster seats.  You can also click here to visit the Dalton-Whitfield County chapter of Safe Kids on the internet.

Watch CBS Videos Online

Scholarship Will Be Endowed Monday

Dalton Police Chief Jason Parker and Dalton Fire Chief Barry Gober will both sign a memorandum of agreement with the Dalton State College Foundation to officially endow The City of Dalton Public Safety Scholarship on Monday evening (October 6th) at 5:00 PM.  Members of the Dalton Public Safety Commission as well as the six-member Scholarship Committee from the Police and Fire Departments are expected to attend.  The signing ceremony will take place at City Hall before the Mayor and Council meeting. 

The scholarship was endowed with gifts from individuals in recognition of the public service performed by firefighters and police officers in Dalton.  Much of that money was raised at a Scholarship Benefit Dinner at the Dalton Depot in August.  The scholarship will benefit dependents of Dalton Police or Fire employees, or the dependents of retired employees who enroll at Dalton State College.  A six-member committee (three each from the Fire Department and the Police Department) determined the selection criteria for the scholarship.  However, the scholarship will be managed by the DSC Foundation, which makes all decisions regarding selection of the scholarship recipient.  The scholarship award will be made for the first time next April for a student enrolling at Dalton State for fall semester 2009.

The City of Dalton Public Safety Scholarship will be a part of the DSC Foundation’s scholarship program, an annual offering of scholarship awards recognizing academic achievement and financial need for students at Dalton State College.  This year the Foundation awarded more than $180,000 in scholarships to DSC students.

The DSC Foundation’s scholarship application for the 2009-2010 academic year will be available on November 1st at the DSC Office of Financial Aid in the Pope Student Center or on the college’s website at www.daltonstate.edu/alumni_foundation/scholarships.htm.   

Persons wishing to make contributions to the scholarship may do so through the DSC Foundation, 650 College Drive, Dalton GA, 30720 or by contacting David Elrod, Director of Institutional Advancement at Dalton State, 706-272-4473.

Tip Helps Dalton Police Recover Stolen Bikes

An anonymous tip phoned in to the Dalton Police Department following Monday’s coverage by local media and the Dalton Police Blog of the theft of bikes from the Boys and Girls Club has led to the recovery of all but two of the missing mountain bikes.

The tip led detectives to two minors, who each admitted to entering the storage building at the Boys and Girls Club on Underwood Street to steal bicycles.  Their confessions led to other minors, who had either been given bikes or had taken them from the woods behind the Boys and Girls Club.  In all, eleven minors are being charged with either burglary, theft by receiving stolen property, or theft of lost or mislaid property in connection with the stolen bikes.

Some of the recovered bikes have been damaged, and two have yet to be recovered.

The Dalton Police Department thanks the media outlets who covered the story for their help in recovering the Boys and Girls Club’s stolen bikes.

To read the original story on the bike thefts, click here.

Important Safety Information About Child Booster Seats

Updated 10/3/08: For a video of a Safe Kids representative giving booster seat safety tips on CBS News, click here.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety issued a new report on child booster seats today which stated that 13 of the 41 child booster seats tested by the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute rated as "not recommended".  However, according to Safe Kids USA, an organization that works with the local American Red Cross and the Dalton Police Department, that's not necessarily accurate.

Kids come in all shapes and sizes, and booster seats are not one-size-fits-all.  Therefore, a booster seat that performs ideally for one child might not work for another.  Here's what Safe Kids USA has to say about the study on their website (www.usa.safekids.org):

Booster seats are a proven way to help keep kids safer in vehicles. In fact, for children 4 to 7 years old, booster seats reduce injury risk by 59 percent compared to seat belts alone, according to researchers at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

But a report released today by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has questioned if certain booster seats provide children with a better fit than others. Kids come in all shapes and sizes, and not all boosters will fit all children the same way. There are no “good” seats and “bad” seats as the IIHS list might suggest—all meet the government standard in crash tests. But booster seats are not designed to be one-size-fits-all. The different variations in boosters allow parents to find the right fit for each child.

It’s All About Fit

Parents and caregivers should not panic and they should continue to use booster seats for their children on every ride. However, there are a few simple steps parents can take to make sure a child’s booster fits the correct way.
Safety belts are designed for adults and many children are too small to get a proper fit without using a booster seat. Most children who have outgrown their toddler seats but are still under 4 feet 9 inches tall and less than 80 pounds will be safest using a booster seat.

Take this easy fit test with your child to determine if a booster seat fits your child:

• Place your child on the booster seat and fasten the lap and shoulder seat belts around the child.
• Use the seat belt guides on the booster seat for the lap and shoulder belts.
• Check to be sure the lap belt rests on the top of the thighs or low on the hips.
• Check to be sure the shoulder belt is positioned on the bony shoulder- not the neck or face.
• Never place the shoulder belt under the arm or behind the back.
• If the shoulder belt and lap belt are on the child as stated above, the booster seat will work as designed to protect your child in a crash.  If not, try another brand until you find the one that fits your child. Fortunately, there are lots of choices.

If you’re confused or would like a certified child passenger safety technician to evaluate your child, go to http://www.usa.safekids.org/ to contact your local Safe Kids coalition by clicking on “find coalitions and events near you.”

If you'd like a certified child passenger safety technician to evaluate your child, you can check out the website for Safe Kids Dalton by clicking here.  Or, you can reach the Safe Kids USA national website by clicking here.

As always, the Dalton Police Department reminds you to stay safe on the road by slowing down, obeying all traffic laws, and buckling up for safety.  That includes making sure that your children are safely secured in a child safety seat or booster seat that's properly fitted and properly secured.  Remember: In the State of Georgia, the law states that any child under six years old must be in a child restraint system. Safe Kids USA recommends any child under 80 lbs needs to be restrained. Seat belts are made for adults 80 lbs and up.  In the State of Tennessee, any child under nine years old must be in a child restraint system. All children age 12 and under should ride in back seat.