Douglasville Police Department 2019 Annual Report

DOUGL ASVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

2019 ANNUAL REPORT “ONE WITH OUR COMMUNITY”

COMMAND STAFF

CHIEF’S MESSAGE

I want to thank the Mayor and City Council for giving me the opportunity to serve our great community, the City of Douglasville.

To serve with professional men and women that believe in integrity, transparency, character, and accountability, as well as the values I believe in, makes my service to my fellow officers and the community a joy.

Our vision is to build a community of one.

The Police Department and community need to come together as a team to fight criminal activity. We need to believe in one another and trust and respect each role in serving our community.

Our motto, “We are one,” bridges the divide between the community and law enforcement. We will work continuously to make this motto a reality. This is our mission and we will win over the forces that try to keep us apart.

OUR VISION

Deputy Chief of Police

JR Davidson Major

Brad Stafford Captain Administration

Tommy Deming Captain Support Services

- Chief Gary E. Sparks

The strategic plan for accomplishing the Douglasville Police Department’s mission must begin by identifying the core values. These values must be preserved and defended by the Douglasville Police Department in performing its statutory missions. These values are: • Rigorous obedience to the United States Constitution, the Georgia Constitution and State Laws, and the City of Douglasville Ordinances • Respect for the dignity of all those we are called to serve and protect • Compassion in all situations • Fairness to all citizens • Uncompromising personal and professional integrity • Accountability by accepting responsibility and the consequences for our actions and decisions • Leadership, both personal and professional • Vigilance, both personal and professional 02

Sue Anne Shaw

Adam Cannon Captain Investigations

Greg Weaver Captain Patrol

Amy Belcher Lieutenant IT

ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

AWARDS 2018 Citizen of the Year Gary Sparks Chief 33 years of service DVPD 33 years

2019 MADD Golden Shield Award Thomas Altman Traffic Officer 19 years of service DVPD 5 years

2019 Douglasville Police Supervisor of the Year Ken Winklepleck Lieutenant 21 years of Service DVPD 21 years

2019 Douglasville Police Officer of the Year Joe Stager Traffic Officer 8 years of Service DVPD 5 years

2019 Douglasville Police Civilian of the Year Todd McAllister Fleet Maintenance 29 years of Service DVPD 29 yrs

2019 Graduate of Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command Brad Stafford Captain 25 years of Service DVPD 25 years

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COMMU NITY

COMMUNITY OUTREACH DIVISION

The Community Outreach Division was created by Police Chief Gary Sparks in January 2019 because he saw a need for more community involvement to develop trust between the public and law enforcement. The goal is to help reduce crime by increasing involvement inside the community and working together as one.

COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT DAY The annual Community Enrichment Day is held on a Saturday in the Spring at the Douglasville Police Department. It is a free event open to the public where vendors are able to rent a 10x10 space for $25.00 on the property. During the event there are information booths, vendor booths, touch-a-truck, bounce house, building tour, an egg hunt with candy and prizes, and much more. City, County and State agencies get together with the community.

DEA PILL TAKE BACK DAYS DEA Pill Take Back Days are scheduled by the Drug Enforcement Administration as a nationwide day two times a year to partner up with local communities to get expired and unused drugs out of medicine cabinets and off the street. They are held on the 4th Saturday in April and October. The Douglasville Police Department partners with other county agencies to help with disposal at the Douglasville Municipal Complex.

HOLLIS STREET HEALTH FAIR The Hollis Street Health Fair is held in June at our Community “House of Hope� located at 8304 Hollis Street.

WellStar Health Systems and other agencies partner with the police department to provide health and wellness information, and several different types of screenings (blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, etc.) to the citizens of Douglas County. This is a free event.

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT National Night Out is a community-police awareness-raising event in the United States, held the first Tuesday of August that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood mutual trust. Each year the police department holds the event in a location to try to make the most impact in reaching out to the community.

COM M U N ITY

YOUTH AGAINST VIOLENCE (YAV) Our Youth Against Violence Program is an 8-week program held on Saturdays from 10am to 2pm, and an occasional weeknight.

Most participants are between the age of 12 and 18 years of age. Some of the subjects that are discussed include: Gang Violence & Prevention, Anger Management, Conflict Resolution, Sex Laws, Decisions & Choices, Ethics & Values, and Encountering Police.

CITIZENS LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY The Citizens Law Enforcement Academy is a 10-week program held throughout the year on Tuesday nights from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Participants must be 18 years of age, be able to pass a background check, and legally possess a firearm. Participants learn about the daily operations and functions of the police department.

OUTREACH

HOLLIS STREET JAMBOREE

The Hollis Street Jamboree is named for the street and location of our Community “House of Hope” on Hollis Street. This has become an annual event that is free to the citizens of Douglas County where we have informational booths on local resources, face painting, and a cookout for the entire community. There are no vendors and it is a completely free event.

FALL FESTIVAL The Fall Festival is held on a Saturday just before Halloween at the Douglasville Police Department. It is a free event open to the public where vendors can rent a 10x10 space for $25.00 on the property. During the event there are information booths, vendor booths, touch-a-truck, bounce house, building tour, costume contest with candy and prizes, and much more. City, County and State agencies get together with the community.

TRUNK-OR-TREAT The Annual Trunk-or-Treat is a joint venture with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office and is held at the Douglas County Courthouse on the weekend prior to Halloween from 3pm to 7pm.

This event is for children 14 years of age and under and entry is free. There are concessions that include hotdogs, hamburgers, etc. and free candy.

TOWN HALL MEETINGS Town Hall Meetings are scheduled quarterly and a topic is chosen to go along with the time of year. The meetings are held at the community building of the Douglasville Police Department on a specified Tuesday night and are set at 6:30pm. Topics are presented by professionals in the field.

DCOP (DOUGLASVILLE COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAM) DCOP is a community based program where officers and citizens interact in non-adversarial situations. Officers go door to door in subdivisions and/or apartment complexes to meet one on one with the residents to discuss their concerns and programs and events the PD is offering. The Chief and the Douglas County Sheriff also have a Barber Shop Tour where they go to barber shops during business hours to discuss community issues. Chat with the Chief is another event where the Chief and his command staff meet in restaurants or coffee shops and invite the public to join the meeting for discussion. These are just some examples of the DCOP programs that make the Douglasville Police Department “one with our community”.

PROGRAMS

PUBLIC HANDGUN CLINIC

The Public Handgun Clinic is held on the first Tuesday of each month from 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Participants must be 18 years of age, be able to pass a background check, and be able to legally possess a firearm. The class includes instruction on current Georgia Law, safety, handling, and fundamentals of marksmanship.

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH The Neighborhood Watch Program is designed to bring collaboration between citizens and law enforcement to help reduce and prevent crime. The Douglasville Police Department will assist any neighborhood, subdivision, or community to organize a neighborhood watch program and provide them with the basic training to help them find success.

DIVISIONS ADMINISTRATION The Administrative Services Division is responsible for the Office of Professional Standards (Internal Affairs, Backgrounds/Hiring, Training, and State Certification), the Motors and Traffic Unit, the F.I.N.D. Unit (interstate interdiction), the School Resource Officer Unit, and Building Maintenance. In addition to these duties, Administrative Services ensures that all use of force, pursuit, and accident review boards are completed in a timely manner and records for each are accurately maintained.

SUPPORT SERVICES DIVISION The Support Services Division is comprised of Records, Court Security, GCIC Clerks, Warrants, and the motor pool for the Police Department. This division ensures that departmental records are maintained as well as all GCIC requirements for the agency. Court security is provided during municipal court and ALS (Administrative License Suspension) hearings. All vehicles within the department are purchased and maintained by the Support Services Division.

DETECTIVE DIVISION The Detective Division is responsible for conducting all investigations that occur in the city. The division consists of three elements: property crimes, crimes against persons (which includes crimes against children and domestic violence), and crime scene/evidence. The division assists in conducting polygraphs, both criminal and for new hires, for the department. Detectives are active in attending various meetings with other law enforcement agencies, the district attorney’s office, and other social service agencies.

SPECIAL WEAPONS AND TACTICS (S.W.A.T.) TEAM The SWAT team is a highly trained, specialized unit that incorporates the use of specialized equipment and tactics in order to handle situations that cannot be handled on a patrol level. Some of these situations may include barricaded subjects, hostage situations, and high risk search/arrest warrants. The team consists of distinct positions that include an entry team, snipers, negotiators, and robot teams.

Members receive elite tactical training and train regularly.

PATROL DIVISION The Patrol Division consists of certified law enforcement officers providing 24-hour coverage. The primary responsibility of patrol is to protect and serve. Officers respond to calls for service that come in through the 911 center. The calls generally fit into the following categories: emergency calls, service calls, and traffic calls. Duties include: maintaining order, protecting people and property, enforcing criminal and traffic laws, and forming a bond with the community.

SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION The Special Operations Division is responsible for investigating gang, drug, and vice related crimes that affect the City of Douglasville.

Vice related crime includes prostitution, human trafficking, alcohol and tobacco sales to minors, and gambling. One member of the unit is detached and assigned to a Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force in Atlanta, and is involved in Federal Drug Trafficking Investigations.

K-9 UNIT The K-9 Unit responds to calls for service involving dual purpose canines. The unit is comprised of highly trained motivated officers with impeccable integrity, tremendous work ethic, and specialized knowledge in illegal narcotics. The dogs are selected from various European countries that meet the high standards this line of work demands. K-9 handlers respond to requests for assistance from members of our agency, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and surrounding agencies.

HONOR GUARD UNIT The Honor Guard is comprised of 10 officers, chosen throughout the police department, who train in ceremonial drills. The members represent the department and city by leading parades, presenting the colors during Flag Day celebrations and other ceremonies, and attending funerals/memorial services. The Honor Guard carries out the solemn duty of attending fallen officers’ funerals throughout Georgia and neighboring states, uniting fellow officers and family of the fallen officer(s).

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visit us at

DOUGLASVILLEPD.COM

Y E A R LY S TAT S

Go to https://www.CityProtect.com to see incidents reported to the Douglasville Police Department. You can search by time period, type of incident, and even set up alerts within a geofence so you are notified if a crime is reported in your area.

OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS The Douglasville Police Department Office of Professional Standards supports the mission and Core Values of the department by ensuring that our officers are well trained and adhere to the high ethical standards that our citizens expect of us. The division is tasked with recruiting, background investigations, hiring, training, and internal affairs. An additional responsibility is maintaining the department’s state accreditation through the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police.

GEORGIA ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE STATE CERTIFICATION Certification is a progressive and time-proven way of helping law enforcement agencies calculate and improve their overall performances. The foundation of certification lies in the promulgation of standards containing a clear statement of professional objectives. Participating agencies conduct a thorough self-analysis to determine how existing operations can be adapted to meet these objectives. When the procedures are in place, a team of trained assessors verifies that applicable standards have been successfully implemented. The process culminates with a decision by a joint executive committee that the agency has met the requirements for certification.

Certification status represents a significant professional achievement. Certification acknowledges the implementation of policies and procedures that are conceptually sound and operationally effective.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS MARCH 28 COMMUNITY ENRICHMENT DAY

AUGUST 4 NATIONAL NIGHT OUT

APRIL 25 DEA PILL TAKE BACK DAY

SEPTEMBER 12 HOLLIS STREET JAMBOREE

JUNE 13 HOLLIS STREET HEALTH FAIR

OCTOBER 10 FALL FESTIVAL 24 DEA PILL TAKE BACK DAY TBD TRUNK-OR-TREAT

For more information on our events, services and more, visit DouglasvillePD.com.

*All proceeds from the Community Enrichment Day and Fall Festival go to the annual police department Christmas Toy Drive for local children of Douglasville and Douglas County.

CONTACT INFORMATION DOUGLASVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT

DOUGLAS COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT HQ

- RECORDS DIVISION EXT. 8501 - MUNICIPAL COURT (678) 293-1858

DOUGLAS COUNTY COURTHOUSE

2083 FAIRBURN RD DOUGLASVILLE, GA 30135 (770) 920-3010

DOUGLASVILLE CITY HALL 6695 CHURCH ST DOUGLASVILLE, GA 30134 (770) 920-3000

DOUGLAS COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE 8470 EARL D LEE BLVD DOUGLASVILLE, GA 30134 (770) 942-2121

FOR ALL EMERGENCIES DIAL 911

12501 VETERANS MEMORIAL HWY DOUGLASVILLE, GA 30134 (770) 942-8626 8700 HOSPITAL DRIVE DOUGLASVILLE, GA 30134 (770) 949-2000

- DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE (770) 920-7292 - STATE SOLICITOR’S OFFICE (770) 489-5238 douglasville police department

@douglasville _pd @douglasvillepolice