Monday, November 15, 2010

Former DeKalb Police Chief Louis Graham Dies After Long Illness

Praised as "a great public servant to the end" and a "true professional".

How soon they forget....or ignore the past.

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

My thoughts and prayers go out to the Graham family. May God provide his loved ones and friends comfort and strength through this difficult time. Chief Louis Graham made his mark in the law enforcement community over the last four decades and his legacy remains. I am glad to have known and worked with him.

Anonymous said...

what did you call a white officer during the chief graham era ? graham cracker !

Anonymous said...

If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. So I don't want to hear anybody saying any of the following things.

He thought Wayne Williams was innocent. DNA evidence from Williams' dog has since proved otherwise.

He made a special task force within our Major Felony unit to look into the Wayne Williams case to prove Wayne's innocence. When they found enough new evidence to charge Williams with an additional homicide, he disbanded the unit and it was never spoken of again.

He thought Sidney Dorsey, his former partner and best friend, was innocent of assassinating Derwin Brown. Dorsey later confessed.

After he took a tape recorder from an officer he was talking to and making racist statements to, he made even dumber statements to someone even dumber than himself, Ray Flemister, because Graham was too stupid to turn off the tape recorder!

Anonymous said...

Condolences to the Graham family.

Anonymous said...

May God bless and keep u Chief Graham.

Anonymous said...

Upon meeting his maker. He will realize that he as well as all of us must answer to a higher authority. So enjoy yourselves here on earth and think of yourself as untouchable. For you too my friends (CEO and BOC & Wiz, etc. etc) will answer someday for your actions here on earth.

Anonymous said...

My heart goes out to the Graham family.

Anonymous said...

I will respectfully remain silent.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't he the one who called Vernon and told him about the rape investigation against him? Oh yeah, he was a real cop's cop Dale Russell.

Anonymous said...

Like 11:27 said, if you dont have anything nice to say, dont say anything at all.

I have nothing to say!

Anonymous said...

Condolences to the family. Love him or hate him he cast a big shadow around Fulton and DeKalb. I think the negative remarks can be made on another thread but its a little late for that. RIP Chief Graham.

Anonymous said...

Prayers for his family. Cause like I tell the perps, someone loves you just not I. Bet the Flem Flam will be at his funeral..Then again maybe not Graham can't do anything for him now can he...owell. R.I.P just not my brother... Cause you tarnished my badge...

Anonymous said...

My thoughts & prayers are with the Graham family. May he rest in peace.

Anonymous said...

As I sat in disbelief and took time to read all of the comments. The only word I can think of is COWARD and heartless. An ignorant man is very dangerous because he or she will say things they heard and never took time to verify if it’s true. We have all said some things that people have taken out of context. Chief Graham had a very extensive law enforcement career. He was well educated, now this can get a bit personal but, I’m going to speak the facts. He worked in law enforcement when he was only allowed to arrest people that reflected him, that’s black people for the limited thinker. He received several law enforcement achievement awards, how many have you received? Yes he made a statement or two that caused a few people to talk, what you didn’t mention is the stuff you said during your private conversation, we have all said some stuff, Man let me get out of this glass house. We have all had a sin or two; I know the previous posters are all SAINTS. Chief Graham spoke his mind nothing was phony about him, Oh yes I knew him that’s why I can speak. You see knowledge is power; when you speak you won’t sound like a JACK ASS. Chief Graham saw some things during his law enforcement career that made him the way he was, it was called discrimination, unfairness and false arrest. Sounds familiar huh? Chief Graham saw some things during the Wayne Williams investigation that made him feel the way he did, it’s called gut feeling. Wayne was not charged will all of the murders, Now that’s called a Fact. The cold case squad was disbanded because of man power, another fact. I never one time heard Chief Graham say that Sidney Dorsey was innocent, and if you did can you prove it. Now let me wrap this thing up because you are probably so red in the face that you need a Pabst Blue Ribbon. Chief Graham was given all of the clowns around him including Raymond Flimister. Take a look around us folks are we better off now then we were after Chief Graham left, same circus different clowns, things are no better. You see not one of us have ever walked in Chief Graham’s shoes. We didn’t see the things he saw or achieved the things he achieved. Now that most of you have learned some facts about Chief Graham you can speak and sound intelligent.

To the Graham family my condolence goes out to you. We have lost a true Jewel. God only takes the best and we can’t get to heaven unless we pass. Chief Graham I will never forget the time we spent together and the words of wisdom you gave me. Rest in Peace Your work here is done enjoy your self I hope to join you one day. Thank you for the many years you dedicated to this field and because of your sacrifices we can arrest any man that violates the law.

Anonymous said...

8:15 said that we shouldn't criticise Louis Graham because we didn't walk in his shoes. He stated that "Graham saw some things during his law enforcement career that made him the way he was, it was called discrimination, unfairness." Graham became what he hated! He did unto others the wrongs that were done unto him. He perpetuated the cycle! Because he was treated unfairly that makes it ok to treat others that have the same appearance as his wrong doers in a likewise manner? Isn't this what all of us want to erradicate.... Racism.... Discrimination? And people mourn a loss such as this? All of this and not to mention the damage he did to this department.

Gaham's Awards? Achievements? Our department had solid policies and procedures that helped make us one of the best departments in the nation at one time. We were one of the first departments in the nation to earn Accreditation. Graham made keeping our Accreditation difficult because he ignored and changed these policies. After he left, our people who attempt to keep this department accredited had some difficult moments explaining his actions because his actions violated his own policy.

Maybe there was more to Loius Graham than initially meets the eye. Maybe I shouldn't be so critical but, for the life of me, I don't know why. I am seeing in these comments examples of negative things that he did but I do not see examples of his positive legacy to this department. I was here in that era and I know of nothing positive that he did. And if he did leave a positive legacy then it can't outshine the damage he did here. Remember, Graham was Vernon Jones' answer to Chief Moody after Chief Moody wouldn't lie for Jones in front of the Grand Jury. What does that say about what Jones thought of Graham? I am just glad that I decided to focus my dislike of Graham's actions at him and not at a race of people like he is being defended here for doing. He was discriminated against and that was WRONG, but did that give him the right to do the same to others? In some ways that makes him worse than those that discrimnated against him because they didn't entirely understand what they were doing. Graham DID understand.

I can't eulogize him for these reasons and so many more!

Anonymous said...

To Anon 8:15 pm:

"Chief Graham saw some things during his law enforcement career that made him the way he was, it was called discrimination, unfairness...."

So that excuses him of the way he treated some of us because we were white??? Discrimination...? I've dealt with reverse discrimination all my adult life and i'm almost 50! That excuse dont wash.

"because you are probably so red in the face that you need a Pabst Blue Ribbon."

No ...I need a Billy Beer you idiot. Do they even make PBR anymore? It was pretty vile if I remember correctly. Are you profiling me? Are YOU a racist? Look into a mirror!

"Chief Graham was given all of the clowns around him including Raymond Flimister. Take a look around us folks are we better off now then we were after Chief Graham left, same circus different clowns, things are no better."

So you are saying things got no better when he was chief here? Did he make no good changes here at all? No motivation? No leadership by example? Promote some well deserving folks and demote idiots? Or maybe your sentax is just screwed up in your question. Also, Raymond Flimister is my hero and I think he was forced to asociate with LG and he was a bad influnce on him. Flim actually turned Scottdale around singlehandedly and made it into the shining example of "neighborhood DeKalb" that it is today!

"Thank you for the many years you dedicated to this field and because of your sacrifices we can arrest any man that violates the law."

We've been doing that way before he came around anyway. How many times did Hosea Williams get locked up? How about Pat Swindal? Arrests go way beyond racial and socio-economic boundaries and Louis Graham didn't have anything to do with that. But, I asmume you can idolize him if you want. I am sorry he died, but he was just another name on the long list of failed supervisors who were appointed because of thier race, regardless of thier ability, who were told to be a LEADER without a clue how to lead.

Here, have some more koolaid...

Anonymous said...

,,,,,,,,oh 9:59....Flemister was your hero?? Please drink the Koolaid...he was the handcuffs on Chief Graham administration........Graham was Chief to the public but the dept knew Flemister actually tried to run the show for VJ.....VJ owed him for taking fall in light of Moody.....blame Ray Ray for the dept going down hill..... Chief rest in peace.....

Anonymous said...

You know I still don’t see you bringing up any facts. Who did Chief Graham mistreat? Give me the facts please! And who has been discriminated against more. Since when did someone hold a job for you became qualified?

Anonymous said...

come on the man is gone, you should be a shame of yourself

Anonymous said...

Who did Graham mistreat? Three leaders of the IBPO. Two of them were black. Graham was caught on tape telling the black president of the IBPO that the IBPO was using him and the it was really about anger DeKalb had a black Chief.

Anonymous said...

FACTS!!!!!!!!!! please Rest in Peace Chief Graham

Anonymous said...

THIS IS JUST BEYOND RIDICULOUS, beating a dead horse(literally) Pathetic for those to speak negatively about someone who is 6 feet under and missing the very air that YOU breathe as you type trash. AS IF you have never sinned, or said something derogatory, or thought an evil thought, been boozed up with your buddies and referred to blacks as the N* word, or vice versa have called white people H*kys or crackers. Just send your condolences to family and get the hell on, or don't say anything at all. MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! (By the way I would watch out for the lightening bolts if you know what I mean ) UNBELIEVABLE.

Anonymous said...

de mortuis nil nisi bonum dicendum est.

Anonymous said...

I suppose when Vernon dies we're all supposed to come here and say nothing but great things about him too and how great he was for this department.

The lesson here is think about how you want people to remember you.

Anonymous said...

Well I for one was never a fan of Graham or Flemister but the one poster who stated that it's the same circus but different clowns has a point. Heck it's more than just a point, it's dead on. These so called leaders running around here now are absolutely no different....take care of their own....

"Hence the new CIGAR CLUB" talk about arrogance, ...what a bunch of a$$ clowns!!

Anonymous said...

To Anon 11:32 PM:

You want facts????

Look all around you. This place used to be the 2nd wealthiest county in the eastern half of the US. It used to have the best standard of living in the southeast. Our Police Dept used to be one of the top departments in the nation. When Louis Graham took over after Chief Moody left the downward spiral of this department took off even faster. He didnt slow it down or stop it. He made it worse. Those are all facts. Or maybe you want to change history to suit your means.

Look around you and see what you see. Or, maybe you weren't even here when it was good so you dont remember and have no real reference point.

Anonymous said...

Hey Anon 322 let Chief Graham rest. It’s very obvious you have issues. What can you do to change this place? I have been here over 15 years the old days are gone, it’s obvious you are still stuck in time like some of your buddy’s. Now I will say it slow for you. FACTS. And by the way Sandy Springs and Dunwoody are hiring ohhhh I forgot some of you only have GED’s or just a high school diploma. That means they won’t look at you. Hmmmmmmmm

Anonymous said...

Anon 11:42 PM

I was policing Dekalb 30 years ago and Ive been retired a while now. You and others with your mindset really dont matter to me anymore. Now THAT is a FACT!

Anonymous said...

Oh yes we do because you still read this thing. now that's FACT