Recently a Dekalb Homeower asked in the comment section of "Moonlighting Officers In Demand" if they should sale their house in DeKalb County and move. Here is our response.
Dear DeKalb Homeowner,
If you can sell your house, do so and flee!
The police department is down sizing it's most seasoned and experienced officers. Yet instead of proper management of its people, the command staff is under the impression they have to have multiple aides. There are precincts that have enough officers in ICP (Interactive Community Policing, a Terrell Bolton failed concept mind you) to man an entire shift answering 911 calls.
It has been over a year since Terrell Bolton was terminated as Chief of Police. Burrell Ellis has yet to name a permanent replacement. It appears there is a conscientious effort to demoralize the officers further by changing their work schedules, disrupting their family life. Terrell Bolton wasted millions of dollars on recreation vehicles. Burrell Ellis said he would sale them and recoup some of the wasted money. Again, a year later and these “magic buses” are still around, still having to be repaired at your expense.
There are officers on duty being forced to attend Burrell Ellis’ budget hearings. Couldn’t these officers be used in a more useful way, like protecting your neighborhood?
The county has lost its AAA credit rating because of its debt load. 30 percent of your property taxes fund the operation of the county government. Facing a 30-40 million short fall, Ellis wants to raise your property tax by 11 percent.
70 percent of your property taxes go to the school board. School Superintendent Crawford Lewis just received and accepted a $15,000.00 yearly raise, but yet he claims the school system is facing a 50 million dollar deficit, which can only mean the school board will want to raise your taxes too. The arrogance of this man!
Yet the voters of DeKalb County continue to put these people in office time and time again.
Run, run now, and run far!
We've said before and we'll say it again: THE MADNESS CONTINUES!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
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13 comments:
Very well said, it is the ugly truth.
Run Forest Run!
I've always said as an officer, ARM yourselves dont wait to be protected by Dekalb Police or anyother agency.
If you do you will be a victim, while your waiting on Dekalb to respond.
That is the most irresponsible thing I have seen this blog put out. Telling people to leave will only make things worse, we need to be looking to improve this county and it starts by putting people in place that can lead and make tough choices to make this place better and we don't have that. Bolton is gone but the same old problems are still here. No true leadership because we don't have a permanent chief. The blog admin probably don't live in the county so don't have a real interest on what happens to the citizens.
I dont think we should advise someone to move to another county. Some of your points are valid;however, Tebo's hearings didnt end until July. Its gonna take more time than we thought to get things turned around with this bad economy, no matter where you go. Although I dont agree with the 5-2,I'm not gonna dog out the command staff. It's not etched in stone just yet and maybe, just maybe they will go back to the drawing board and come up with something else such as Sandy Springs Dept. schedule, or just leave the 4-3 in place, because it does kill morale. They've only been in place for a short while, and Im gonna give them a fair chance. Many will disagree, but Im like many of you, in the trenches, on ground zero, so I understand some of your pain. Even if we lose some great experienced folks, we have some bright people ready to step in and do a great job. This department will go on with or without anyone. That's just the way police work goes. Hang in there, something good always comes out of a bad situation. Keep your heads up.
There are parts of Dekalb that are bad, I agree that there is likely little chance that these areas will improve. But there are some areas that are very nice such as parts of Decatur, Northlake Mall, the Emory area...among others. Encouraging good people to move out of DeKalb is contributing to the problem. Not everyone is happy commuting one to two hours to get to thier job. I wholeheartedly agree that Chief OBrien needs to be made permanent chief. We need to turn the corner on the police morale issue and move forward. There is no good excuse for delaying this important decision...
This place will never change
Just look on WSB's web site to look at the story of the drug dealer who tried to put a hit on the Dekalb police officer who arrested him. A prime example of Dekalb County's quality.
To the #8 post, do you really think this only happens in DeKalb? You might want to speak someone in Intel or other area of CID, this could happen anywhere. I'm behind our command staff, Miller, O'Brien, Kliesrath, and Holmes. I dont agree with moves that obviously hurt morale. A good leader always puts the people before themselves. They all have leadership qualities. THEY WILL GET THIS SHIPPED TURNED. As Tebo would say "Stay Tuned". Lastly, to the citizen, we will be there for you if you stay in DeKalb. Let your commissioner know that you dont want to see cuts in the Police Dept, thats where it starts.
I should have clarified that my intention is not to leave DeKalb, though it's a possibility. I want to be close to my work in DeKalb and also the things Atlanta has to offer.
Even though I've only lived in my current home for about five years, I've lived in DeKalb for almost 15 years. I know there are good areas and bad areas in any city or county. Limited by my financial resources, I have always tried to stay one step ahead of any decline in a neighborhood when I rented. However, I am beginning to regret that I committed myself to ownership in a neighborhood that, for even reasons other than crime, doesn't appear to have a bright future.
Based on what the police see day in and day out, I wanted to know if I should remain in a neighborhood, that though it is relatively new, is already in decline and appears headed for worse days. Or have police officers, or anyone for the matter, seen enough examples of a community eventually pulling together to make it worth me considering staying and making more of an effort.
Thanks for all your replies (and any future responses). It's good for me to read the good, bad, ugly and funny.
Schools in DeKalb are just as f-ed up. watch this about Dr Frankie Calloway, one of the top administrators for Dekalb schools for years: http://www.wsbtv.com/video/22250810/index.html.
Without better schools, people aren't going to buy all those empty schools in the county, and we'll always be facing potential budget cuts.
You don't have to leave Dekalb. Just move into the 470's in east precinct. We have two sergeants that live in this territory and load it up with officers. They won't even let these officers leave the territory to back others.
I know exactly who you are speaking of. The one sergeant who has been there for a while is a decent guy, for the most part fair. The other is a complete HOTHEAD, it was the best thing that happened to us when he got the boot out of center. I hear he hasnt learned his lesson, and layed low. We had no faith in him, he brought morale at center to a all time low, officers were putting in transfers left and right. Finally they just got rid of him. All I can say is good luck, stay out of his way and dont disagree with anything he says. After a while when everyone refuses to work while he is on duty maybe you guys can get rid of him too.
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