Dalton Police Blog

DPD Seeks Info on Arcade Machine Break-In

The Dalton Police Department is seeking information about two white males who broke into a video game machine on two separate occasions at the East Walnut Avenue Wal-Mart and stole nearly $150.00.

On June 17th at approximately 10:45 PM and also on another unspecified date, the two male subjects pictured below used a type of pry bar to break into the coin box of an arcade game at the Wal-Mart.  The young men then left in a small white vehicle with either a black top or a convertible top.   Anyone with information on the identity of these two men or the thefts is asked to call either Detective John Helton with the Dalton Police Department at 706-278-9085 extension 143 or Detective Eric Burnette with the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office at 706-278-1233.

The images below were captured by the surveillance system at the East Walnut Avenue Wal-Mart.  Click images for a larger version.

 

Do You Know These People?

The Dalton Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying three suspects who stole a debit card from an elderly woman in Dalton and used it to run up more than $1,000 worth of purchases. 

On June 25th, a woman got lost in Dalton on her way back to the interstate.  She stopped to ask the three suspects, two white females and one black male, for directions.  While giving directions, the suspects asked for a ride to Walnut Square Mall.  The woman agreed.  According to the police report, the suspects gave the woman confusing directions to the mall, and in the confusion, one of the suspects entered her purse and took her debit card.  After returning home, the woman got a call from her bank about suspicious activity on her account.  The stolen card was used at locations across Dalton and Whitfield County, including Wal-Mart, Gamestop, Catos, CVS Pharmacy, Kangaroo, Zaxby’s, and an Exxon Station.  In all, the fraudulent purchases totaled $1,113.82. 

During the transactions at the East Walnut Avenue Wal-Mart, three subjects were recorded on the store’s surveillance system using the card.  Those three individuals are pictured below.   Anyone with information on the identity of these individuals or any other information on this crime is asked to contact Detective John Helton with the Dalton Police Department at 706-278-9085, extension 143.

The images below were captured by the surveillance system at the East Walnut Avenue Wal-Mart.  Click on the images for a larger version.

 

Police and Fire Departments to Host Golf Tournament

The Dalton Police Department and Dalton Fire Department will host a golf tournament on September 9th, 2009 at Nob North to benefit the City of Dalton Public Safety Scholarship Endowment at Dalton State College.  The entry fee is $65 per player, and play will be a four-person select shot format.  To read more about the Golf Tournament, or to sign up online, visit the tournament's site by clicking here.

The City of Dalton Public Safety Scholarship is part of the Dalton State College Foundation’s scholarship program, an annual offering of scholarship awards recognizing academic achievement and financial need for students at Dalton State College.  In 2008, the Foundation awarded more than $180,000 in scholarships to DSC students.  The scholarship will benefit dependents of Dalton Police or Fire employees, or the dependents of retired DPD and DFD employees.  A six-member committee (three each from the Fire Department and the Police Department) determined the selection criteria for the scholarship.  The scholarship is managed by the DSC Foundation, which makes all decisions regarding selection of the scholarship recipient. 

The Police Department and Fire Department are currently looking for businesses willing to serve as sponsors for this event.  Anyone interested should contact Brad Jones at the Dalton Police Department at 706-278-9085, extension 225. 

Grace Presbyterian Kids Tour DPD

Youngsters from Grace Presbyterian Church in Dalton visited the Dalton Police Department on Tuesday, bringing along some treats for the officers.  The kids are working on public service projects every Tuesday, and this week they brought baked goods for officers to snack on to the Police Services Center.  While at the department, the kids took a brief tour around the building's main floor and also got a look at some police equipment and one of the patrol cars.

Below: Officer Steven McBrayer talks to visitors at the Dalton Police Services Center (click images for a larger version)

 

DFD Promotes New Battalion Chief

At Tuesday's meeting of the Dalton Public Safety Commission, the Dalton Fire Department promoted Stan Maney to the rank of Battalion Chief.  He fills the vacancy left by Battalion Chief Donnie Dunn's retirement in 2008.

Battalion Chief Maney has been with the Dalton Fire Department since March 28, 1990 and has risen through the ranks.  His promotion was approved by a unanimous vote of the Public Safety Commissioners present.

Below: Battalion Chief Stan Maney shakes hands with Fire Chief Bruce Satterfield after receiving his promotion (click image for a larger version).

Dalton Police Seek Check Fraud Suspects

The Dalton Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying two men who used stolen checks at the Shugart Road Wal-Mart.

A man reported that he lost his checkbook in the parking lot of the Shugart Road Wal-Mart in early May, and later reported to the Dalton Police Department that checks from his account had been written in several locations, including the Wal-Mart, for a total of more than $700.  The Dalton Police Department obtained surveillance video of two young males forging checks on the account at the Shugart Road Wal-Mart.  The men left in a red Ford Explorer which appears to be a two-door model.

One of the men in the surveillance video has a full-length tattoo visible on his left arm and a partial wrist tattoo on his right.   Those surveillance images are included below.  If anyone has any information on the identity of the two suspects or any other information on this crime, they are asked to please contact Detective Jason Bishop with the Dalton Police Department at 706-278-9713, extension 214.

The images below were captured by the surveillance system at the Shugart Road Wal-Mart (click each image for a larger version).

 

The Routine Traffic Stop

Nobody wants to be pulled over by the police, but what happens if you find yourself in that situation?  The Dalton Police Department produced the video below to walk drivers through a routine traffic stop so drivers can know what to expect and also a few things you should not to do when the blue lights flash in your rear view mirror.

Click "Play" in the window below to watch video (video may take a few moments to load, click the "HQ" icon to watch in higher quality).

Operation: Zero Tolerance Starts June 19th

The Dalton Police Department will take part Operation: Zero Tolerance June 19th through July 5th.  Operation: Zero Tolerance is a nationwide mobilization of law enforcement agencies to combat drivers driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs. 

The Dalton Police Department’s Traffic Enforcement Unit, Situational Response Unit and Patrol Division will be concentrating their efforts to fight drunk driving during the campaign.  Concentrated patrols and random road checks will be conducted throughout the city at strategic locations in an effort to crackdown on motorists driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.

According to statistics, one out of five traffic related fatalities in Georgia are now alcohol-related.  Statistics also show that drivers with blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 grams or higher are eleven times more likely to die in a crash than if involved in that same crash while they were sober. 

The Dalton Police Department reminds motorists, if you plan to party, plan for a designated driver, or store taxi cab numbers in your cell phone.  Please don’t become a statistic!
    
The Dalton Police Department also reminds motorists that drunk driving is not the only killer on our roadways.  The department asks that motorist watch their speed and please obey Georgia’s Safety Belt laws to help prevent injuries and fatalities.      

Bike Unit Visits Youth Camp

Two officers from the Dalton Police Department's Bike Unit spent part of their morning on Tuesday with the Youth Camp at the Bradley Wellness Center.  Sergeant Mike Wilson and Officer Matt Lane spoke the group of 16 children aged between 5 and 12 years old about bike safety, and also gave out some prizes. 

Every camper got pencils and other giveaways from the department, and the two students who answered the most bicycle safety questions correctly each received two new bicycle helmets.  The questions covered safety issues like proper safety gear, the way to signal turns, and other safety topics.

The kids also got an up-close look at the police department's bicycles, and one of the department's patrol cars.

Below: Children at the Youth Camp at the Bradley Wellness Center meet the Dalton Police Department's Bike Unit and get an up-close look at their bikes and a patrol car (click image for a larger version).

 

Dalton Police Seek Information on Fraud Suspect

The Dalton Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a woman who fraudulently cashed a Georgia income tax refund check at the Bi-Lo at 1287 Cleveland Highway in Dalton. 

On May 8th, a woman using the name Sarah Berry presented a counterfeit Georgia ID at the Bi-Lo and cashed an income tax refund check for $935.00.  On June 1st, the check was returned as fraudulent due to an irregular signature on the check.  Nobody named Sarah Berry lives at the address listed on the fake ID.

The Bi-Lo took fingerprints from the woman during the transaction, and the surveillance system system captured the image included below.  Anybody with information on this crime or the woman’s identity is asked to contact Detective Greg Bates with the Dalton Police Department at 706-278-9085, extension 137.

The image below was captured by the surveillance system at Bi-Lo on Cleveland Highway in Dalton.  Please click the image for a larger version.