Monday, October 19, 2009
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This blog page was established so DeKalb County Police Officers including their family and friends may have a place to hold discussions, post news and vent without fear of retribution.
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40 comments:
HAHA so funny....You really think I'm gonna live in the same place I lock up the trash? Negative...I like my 62" flat screen way to much, along with my wife and kids I dont want some perp trying to take them away from me. If you participate in this do they offer a Gun safe, free ammo, free alarm system, a 24hr SWAT team on premises? haha Dekalb you make me laugh, you barely pay me enough to come to work let alone live there.
Wasn't there an officer who lives in Center who was threatened by a perp he locked up?
Live where I police.... you couldn't pay me enough.
Yeah..I want to move to buy a home in Dekalb because the school system rocks and the crime rate is low.
Dream on Mr. CEO...that money could be better spent on vehicles the officers could use.
hahahaha............that was some show at center precinct roll call today.......30032? 30006? 30034? lithonia? stn mtn? decatur? no thank you Ill hang out up north with my yuppie neighbors sippin on some red wine while the "homies" go get a discounted house in the ghetto! so so sad!! The really sad thing is some officers will feel right at home.
Whatever. Good luck with this one. Unincorporated DeKalb County is a crime-infested crap hole because the government and the citizens put public safety on the back burner. The trash is what I have to deal with everyday I come to work. I made it a point to move out of the dump in which I work. You couldn't give me a FREE house to come back and live here. I'll keep the peace and quiet home sweet home I have more than a county away thank you very much! I don't have to worry about being burglarized, robbed, or possibly ambushed and killed there.
Let me get this right...First WE bitch and complain about no raises, furlough days, and no sick checks, then a program comes along which can help SOME officers not ALL, and then WE still bitch and complain? No, this program won't help me, I too live two counties away,but if it can help any officer and his family out financially, I'm all for it. If you think you can't be touched by crime or a perp you lock up just because you don't live in DeKalb, you're dreaming. Quit knocking down EVERYTHING simply because YOU'RE better off. People are suffering out here with this economy. Screw a new car,I would gladly drive an older car in order to put any officer in a house. This place is gonna get better when you selfish whiners leave.
I wish the first few commenters would mention what area of the county they patrol. Since you consider me, a citizen of the county you work for, to only be "trash", a "perp" or a "wine sipper". If I ever need help in your patrol area, I'd know that I can only count on you for an insult.
Just an FYI for those officers; I'm employed, middle age, lower middle-class, only 2 traffic tickets in my lifetime and a tee-totaler. It's nice to know you hold me and my neighbors in such high regard.
THANK YOU to the officers who don't have narrow minded and insulting generalizations of the people they protect! I hope to God you patrol my part of the county.
As a citizen and Dekalb resident, I'm saddened by the responses here.
Many of us choose to live in Dekalb, warts and all. I moved to central (Tucker) precinct after formerly living in east Cobb, which was considered upscale in the 90s. I don't miss it.
I love my area, as do my neighbors. We've had our share of break ins ( from Clarkston, around the corner. THANKS GWEN KEYS for letting the perps off the hook), but we've since got pretty skilled at keeping out an eye for our neighbors. Some of the families have even started sending their kids to the local elementary, and have good things to say about their children's education. They
saw involved teachers and the principal. The white families saw very few children that looked like their child, but they've experienced none of the problems that they feared.
My area is making a go of it, despite Dekalb's schools and nearby Clarkston's apartment related thuggery. I wouldn't live anywhere else.
My neighborhood stays put because we've created a community.
There's more communities like this left in Dekalb then the posters here realize. There'll be fewer yet if you choose to poison the well by ridiculing any police that might choose to give Dekalb a try.
Maybe some of the police could get together with cohorts that they wouldn't mind having as neighbors, and pick an area where you aren't being called to all the time, and move in. Save some gas and mortgage money, and work on creating yet another community around you. It takes some work to keep a neighborhood: don't poison the well for your fellow officers that might consider taking part in the program.
PS: These postings bashing Dekalb as a collective whole are insulting to those of us who live here that aren't on the perp list.
Maybe some apologies are in order.
I hear a lot of complaints about new officers, but apparently the inability to structure a cogent argument is a department-wide problem..
Some of us live in DeKalb and like it. If you're suggesting someone is a punk because they don't want to live in a neighborhood full of foreclosed homes and perps, you're off base. I'm not scared of a 42 perp. However, I would be worried about my house getting 42'ed while I'm not home. I'd be worried about my wife and kids while I'm away. Living in these houses isn't the problem, it's leaving them unattended for all these vultures in DeKalb county.
I'm fully aware that the suburban counties have plenty of issues, and I really enjoy living in DeKalb. But truthfully, there are several parts of the county I would not live in. I enjoy policing and catching perps, but when I go home, I want a break.
PS: The brass acted like they were all delighted by this program, but a very large portion of them reside outside of the county. How about some leadership by example?
October 20, 2009 11:08 AM
Great point most of the command staff love outside the county themselves. I waiting for a program for those of us who already have homes in the county, when do we get help for living in the community where we work.
Its not that we don't think we can be touched by crime in the county we live in but if it happens guess what when the perp is arrested they dont get off with a slp on the hand like they do in Dekalb. citizens you want police living next to you stop voting for these no guts DAs and Judges vote for a real DA and Some judges that will put perps under the jail instead of putting them on probation
I feel like "Mikey".
No one will buy these homes in blighted, crime ridden Dekalb county....etc etc....
I know, I know...let's get Mikey! He'll do anything. He'll eat it!
Mikey will buy this home and he'll be willing to WORK OFF DUTY IN EXCHANGE FOR THE FEDERAL SCOBBY SNACK....Mikey has always wanted to be owner in a neighborhood where both the county and the citizen will expect him to be the courtesy officer.
Riddle me this Batman -
If an officer takes one of these homes, will he/she be expected to handle the calls in that area as if they are working a part time job? The county will reason that he/she was or is being compensated.
The County washes their hands when things go bad while working an off duty job.... Why would anyone want to sign on for this on a 24x7 basis?
If an officer gets hurt off duty responding in the neighborhood, will he/she be eligible for light duty?
If I don't kiss my neighbor's ass and just tell him to stick it, will I be written up for conduct unbecoming?
Will the same one-sided rules that pertain to part time jobs apply?
Yeah...I always wanted to live where I police.
I read this article before any comments were posted. Had a discussion with a friend about it, then went in the next day and read Anon 1 comment - it was everything I had said to my friend. (and I'm a citizen) If anyone doesn't get his point, you're very naive. I'm sure this program was well intentioned, but I don't believe it was well thought out, and actually seems a little ridiculous following so closely behind the furlough thing.
Of course there are good people in Dekalb!!! But don't miss the very valid points - get yourselves better informed about what these cops go through every day, and also look at the lack of prosecution in our county?? If you REALLY want to help this situation, SUPPORT these men and women (REALLY support them, and don't personalize their reality checks on this blog), watch their backs - help them arrest the perps - help make sure the perps are prosecuted - make some effective changes the next time you vote (and get rid of the lame judges), and let your voices be heard among county leadership! What have YOU really done to help this situation? Save your misplaced indignation, and walk a mile in their shoes. If you did, YOU would be the one offering an apology.
Now Now...where is everyone's spirit in the name of Terrell Bolton's Interactive Community Policing (ICP)?..
Hey Burrell, why don't you subsidize me one of those Magic Buses?
I lived in Dekalb for the early years of my career. I had one of those apartment jobs, free rent in exchange for security around the apartments. The bastards burglarized my apartment 2 weeks before I closed on my house. I currently live 2 counties away and ready to move further away!!!!!
Now thats what i'm talking about. A magic bus would fit the bill. Its mobile so you could move it to where ever you want to put it and live there until the crime got too bad. You could even take it in vacation with you and never leave home. I would have to change the paint scheme however. It would have to have the same paint as the Mystery Mobile like in Scooby Doo. Honestly, I would park it at the precinct so hopefully it wouldnt get stolen or 42ed AND my gas bill for commuting would drop to nothing. That way I could still afford to be a DeKalb Officer.
I would like to be one the first to land a home for me and my family.
I have noticed a rather beautiful home on wheels parked at Center Precinct. It does seem to have been forclosed on already, since it rarely moves.
I Mr. Ellis would like to apply for this home, I am told it has flat screens TV's, marble floors and counters.
Along with a plush bedroom with a bathroom, leather couches, and low mileage.
Could someone please tell me where to apply this seems to be a great deal for the Dekalb citizens who could retrieve some of their money back.
One thing that the posters from Toco Hills and Tucker need to realize is that their neighborhoods are not on the list for officers to buy houses. This is the same federal program that has been around for years where police and fire/rescue would be subsidized for buying homes in "urban revitalization areas". That means high crime areas. The county has just revived this as a half hearted attempt to give us something with one hand while picking our pocket with less pay, higher insurance costs, and higher pension contributions. Thats not even taking into consideration the demands by the administration for us to constantly do more with less.
If the citizens of Dekalb want Dekalb to be better they need to stop scolding unhappy officers who see the worst of the worst the county has to offer (both on the street and in the administration)and start holding their elected officials to task.
For some officers, this program may be a good thing. If anyone decides to take advantage of it, good for them. Home ownership is a great accomplishment. This program is also available to school teachers but it is unfortunate that the eligable homes are only in certain zip codes.
Here are the reasons I won't move back to DeKalb:
I lived in DeKalb for about 2 years after I got hired and moved here from out of state. Now I live in Cobb where the property taxes, vehicle registration,
homeowners and vehicle insurance are all much cheaper. The commute takes the same amount of time as it did when I lived in the Druid Hills area if you can beleive that. The fuel costs are also the same because most of my drive is on the highway and not the back roads. Oh, and did I mention the response time from the Cobb County Police is much faster?
DeKalb County. Please continue to support the good DeKalb Police Officers. The comments of this blog do not reflect the opinions of all of the good officers. To my co workers a mind is a terrible thing to waste; please do your research before you post a comment and make a complete jack ass of your self. Signed a Taxpayer, Citizen and last fellow Officer.
Don't forget Cobb's lower crime rate.
Somehow, Cobb's ADA's handle more cases per ADA and end up sending more people to prison than DeKalb.
Maybe our ADA's should spend some time in the neighboring jurisdictions with lower crime rates and see how things are supposed to be done!
Taxpayer, Citizen and last fellow Officer...
Put down the Koolaid. Wake up and smell the coffee.
Use that mind to objectively take a look at where the department is and where it is going.
Don't let whatever perk you are enjoying cloud your mind....
Tell us about your perk! Is it a take home car? Is it an assigned ICP unit with a nifty removable computer? Is it a cubicle like the Sgt.'s desks? Is it set off days?
What are you getting that clouds your mind?
Not thinking objectively or clearly is worse than not using your mind at all.
I AM A CITIZEN OF DEKALB COUNTY.I NEVER HAVE HAD A TICKET IN DEKALB...BUT I CAN SAY..DEKALB YOU SUCK.BOTH POLICE AND GOVT...
DeKalb is attempting the same thing Atlanta tried 10 or 15 years ago, I haven't heard the results from that experiment so I assume it was bad because the media and politicians would have trumpeted any success with the program.
DeKalb political leaders needs to engage it's citizens in fixing the problem of burgeoning crime in DeKalb. DeKalb Government should follow the model of the city of Decatur in engaging and gaining the active support of its citizens in community issues. The county should coordinate with community orginizations, churches, neighborhood associations and anyone willing to help build a major anti-crime program county-wide.
DeKalb citizens should demand accountability from their elected officials in fighting the growing crime problem in DeKalb.
Cant see the line can ya Russ?
DeKalb Citizens, if you want the morale of your police department to improve, we need your support. This means your voice, your votes, and if necessary, you might have to pay a higher tax. Sure, times are hard now. But before they became this way, we were already being taken from. We lost our 5% merit increases. Only the top 20% of employees (all DeKalb employees) would receive the equivalent of the cost-of-living, or COLA, increase as determined by the Board of Commissioners. For example, if COLA was determined to be 4%, then the top 20% would get to keep up with cost of living. But, our insurance continues to go up just as many of yours do to. Our contributions to our pension plan have skyrocketed from 1/2% to 7% and both are projected to increase further. This makes all of us poorer and poorer with longevity but especially the other 80%. Sadly, retirement for all new hires within recent years has dropped significantly as well. Many are only here to put in a couple of years to get their free training and some experience and take that elsewhere. Who can blame them.
There are not enough positions available in the county for everyone to be able to promote to a higher pay grade whatever their position. Especially at a 30-year retirement plan. For those of us who are career-minded, is there anything wrong with wanting to prosper even a little doing what you want to do?
Someone posted what do we want. Really, it's more about what we need. When looking at so many of our neighbors, we see good pay, take-home cars, housing subsidies, great equipment, and majority of their public supporting them and wanting them. We have lost good, experienced officers to the likes of Cobb County, Gwinnett County, Sandy Springs, Doraville, Dunwoody, and the Feds to name a few. Others have gone out-of-state. None have come back.
I started here told I would top out a certain pay after 11 years. Under Levetan, it changed to 7 years. But, under Vernon all that changed. Now, I am beyond either of those years and make less than what was originally projected to me. I don't need a take-home car though it would be nice. It would just been nice to have parity.
I'm still here because my choices are limited right now. However, I was committed and devoted to make a career here. Now, I'm not so sure anymore. Once I have 20, which is rapidly approaching, I may go because I have to. Perhaps this might be what DeKalb wants.
I'm still here for now serving you DeKalb. I give you an honest days work and put my life on the line for you and other Atlantans who pass though freely and voluntarily. I will still run toward danger when you run away without hesitation. Change our minds. Just show us and give us your support with good leadership, good judges, and good prosecutors. Together, we can make DeKalb a great place to live and work again as it once used to be.
Ok Loflyer I know you think that getting the community more involved is great but my buddy is Decatur PD and they get complained on more than we do. No what we need in this county is Some Brass with some brass big ones. ones that will say not tell there bosses what would work and we need elected officials to drop the egos and listen because you don't know everything. and we need citizens of Dekalb County to get a life that means stop complaining everytime you think a cop is doing wrong now if you see one of us comminting a crime or something terrible then yes call all day but if you see two police officers seating down to eat don't bitch about it we are humans we have to eat to. and in if in the middle of my meal that I DID PAY FOR you say you have a flat spare tire and I don't jump up and run to your rescue put on you big kids pants and deal with it yourself.
You are the problem. If youre so unhappy leave. Let the door hit you in the rear end. We need good police officers that want to be here. Thank you DeKalb I love ya!!!!!!! I make good money have a nice home, my family is good. And GOD is good to me. Take time and get to know him' You want have time to talk likr this. If you dont take pride in what you do you are just as sorry as sorry can be. AND THE SAD THING IS YOU DONT HAVE A VOTE. I do
Slowly...
Step.......
Away.........
From............
The...............
Koolaid.............
Look away from the Major....
Try now to think CLEARLY AND OBJECTIVELY.
Does anyone remember Capt. Peacock? He was the Academy Director before Jimmy Helms. Capt. Peacock's father was an Atlanta policeman - and, part of his daddy's pay "benefits" was an apartment for his family in Capitol Homes. That's where Capt. Peacock grew up. Those apartments were full of policemen and their families as well as school teachers, firefighters and their families - and a host of other underpaid, overworked government workers. Imagine - being paid so little by the hiring municipality that they offered sub-standard housing as a "perk." The only reason I bring this up is the mentality behind this so-called "perk" apparently just has not changed. It is my opinion that civilians view government workers as a necessary evil - and not as a profession worthy to be pursued. To the civlians that are offended by some of the comments - you don't understand the harm a policeman or a fireman puts his family in by living in a high crime area - more so than yourself because of the potential of an armed confrontation. To the police & other government workers - I doubt that the municipality will ever understand how insulting it is to offer subsidized housing to offset the low pay. Sorry - I side with the officers - the civilians need to become more engaged with the DA's office and the Judges that throw these criminals back into society. MAKE ALL OF DEKALB SAFE! Not just some of it...
I'm insulted!
Here's the crap off my plate that didn't make it to the trash. You're a valued employee (Fire, PD, EMS etc..) and I want to treat you in a manner consistent with how I regard you and the services you provide.
First the county takes away the 5% annual pay increases...
Then the county takes away the 2-4% merit annual merit raises.
Now the county decreases my pay by 10% for the Thanksgiving pay period.
All that on top of the constant increases in pension and health insurance.
NOW....the county wants to "throw me a bone" that they wouldn't give their OWN dog!
"Here's a cheap house in a crime ridden area with a school system to match. It's all yours!...now police the area when you're off duty and clean up my mess."
Question - Didn't John's Creek offer a housing subsidy to officers who live in the city? The only stipulation being THAT YOU LIVE IN THE CITY". They didn't offer them the subsidy if they agreed to live in the high crime areas.
Mr. Ellis, your true colors are showing.
I am a resident and taxpayer in Tucker precinct. We love the police, and work with you. We feel your pain and wish we could help, but we're constantly outvoted by folks who vote social affinities first instead of qualifications. We hated Vermin and Tebo and are glad they're gone. We hope that the do-nothing DA will be gone soon, too, along with the bozos in Recorder's Court and the corrupt employees Vermin brought in to every other department in the county. But in the meantime, we will continue to support you and to work for positive change. I'm sorry that we can't do more for you....but, like I said, we're outvoted.
Here's a scary thought. Is everyone aware about the complaining the BOC has done regarding us having 27 pay periods in 2010 as opposed to the usual 26 due to the way the pay periods fall in that year. Yep. With the way things are going, I'm shivering with worry that the next thing they say they are going to have to take from all of us is two weeks worth of pay because they didn't budget accordingly. God help us.
Two week furlough? Nope, that won't do. Can't stand to be without us they say. So, they'll probably just axe our pay over time to spread out their savings. Yikes!
You would think police officers would know the facts before they post a comment. Do me a favor and ask a Realtor about the Hud Program. After you understand it. Post a comment. And if you haven’t noticed, every form of government is having cut backs. Even the city or county you live in. Why do some of you sorry masses think DeKalb County owes you so much when you care so little about the County but yet you come to this site a bitch about things and you know little facts. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.
DeKalb County does not furlough. They just arbitrarily cut your pay. I can't believe the media isn't all over this!
This year, they wanted us to work 8 days and pay us for 7. When told that was illegal, they just decided to cut our pay by 10% for that pay period to accomplish the same end result.
So next year, when we have 27 pay periods instead of 26, I fully expect us to work two weeks for half pay!
Ok...Let's do the math, TAC officers are required to write at least a ticket book a day thats 25 tickets, times 5-8 officers, all officers are "ASKED" to write at least 2 a day, so on average 13 officers per watch....not including NET teams and ICP, and other various teams. Thats a lot of revenue coming in, Dekalb Recorders court is one of the busyest in the state....So tell me why the BOC is trying to annex the General Motors Site in Doraville, that my friends is where a bunch of our money is going, the county is trying to build a stadium, like the Gwinnett Braves. Why are they trying to buy this property when they are furloughing us, letting our equipment go to crap, not getting us some units, tasers, etc...I mean c'mon how long do we wait for cars on a daily basis thats a waste of tax payer money too, not to mention the county loses police coverage when all the officers are at the precient at change over. Everyday I see more and more wastefulness by the county.
Now, now. Don't go being negative about the county buying the old GM assembly plant so Arthur Blank can build himself a new Falcon's stadium there. Think positive. Think about all of the part-time job positions for security that will create for us that we can work when the county cuts our pay further or furloughs us. It'll be good for the economy of our wallets.
"HAHA so funny....You really think I'm gonna live in the same place I lock up the trash" AND no thank you Ill hang out up north with my yuppie neighbors sippin on some red wine while the "homies" go get a discounted house in the ghetto! so so sad!! The really sad thing is some officers will feel right at home."
AND
"Whatever. Good luck with this one. Unincorporated DeKalb County is a crime-infested crap hole because the government and the citizens put public safety on the back burner. The trash is what I have to deal with everyday I come to work. I made it a point to move out of the dump in which I work. You couldn't give me a FREE house to come back and live here. I'll keep the peace and quiet home sweet home I have more than a county away thank you very much! I don't have to worry about being burglarized, robbed, or possibly ambushed and killed there."
To the above posters: Get a life. If you do not like people this is not the job for you. If you don't like people because they don't share your skin tone or nationality, this certainly is not the job for you. Stop the ignorance. If you are that afraid of DeKalb County perhaps you should police your Mayberry neighborhood. Go ahead move further out and watch gas prices rise. I am ashamed to have coworkers that exhibit such ignorance.
"HAHA so funny....You really think I'm gonna live in the same place I lock up the trash" AND no thank you Ill hang out up north with my yuppie neighbors sippin on some red wine while the "homies" go get a discounted house in the ghetto! so so sad!! The really sad thing is some officers will feel right at home."
AND
"Whatever. Good luck with this one. Unincorporated DeKalb County is a crime-infested crap hole because the government and the citizens put public safety on the back burner. The trash is what I have to deal with everyday I come to work. I made it a point to move out of the dump in which I work. You couldn't give me a FREE house to come back and live here. I'll keep the peace and quiet home sweet home I have more than a county away thank you very much! I don't have to worry about being burglarized, robbed, or possibly ambushed and killed there."
To the above posters: Get a life. If you do not like people this is not the job for you. If you don't like people because they don't share your skin tone or nationality, this certainly is not the job for you. Stop the ignorance. If you are that afraid of DeKalb County perhaps you should police your Mayberry neighborhood. Go ahead move further out and watch gas prices rise. I am ashamed to have coworkers that exhibit such ignorance.
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