Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Tragedy Strikes Tampa Bay Police

Two Tampa Bay Florida police officers were gunned down early this morning during a traffic stop.

We have seen such tragedy here before. Pray for their families and the officers who have to sit in that dreadful roll call room tonight.

Remember, on July 4th, you will be working for reduced pay. Be careful and watch each others back. We only have each other.

Wizard Miller Claims All Addresses Restored To 911 System

Yeah? But are they in the right precinct?

Read more here.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

No Money For Air Conditioning

We have been told the county is trying to cut back on electric power expenses. They are now cutting off the air conditioning Friday through Sunday at headquarters. Reports are temperatures inside the building are reaching as high as 90 degrees.

The commissioners are now making us work holidays with no pay, and now they expect the people at headquarters to work in sweat shop conditions.

Are Burrell and the commissioners working in the same conditions? Somehow we doubt it. Just like they are not cutting their pay as they sit on their elitist thorne and cut the pay of the working people.

Let them eat cake!

DeKalb To Host Crime Prevention Tour

When we glanced at this AJC headline, visions ran through our head of charter buses being lead by ICP bicycles and Magic Buses with blue lights blazing, cursing the crime ridden areas of the county, a narrator standing in front of the bus pointing, saying "see there, now that's how not to be a victim"

"Look at that girl walking the street, ummmmhmmm, we know what she be doing". "If ya'll hear "give it up!" that means we being robbed!" "Looky there, they done knocked that policeman of his bicycle and took it". "Somebody call 911!".

Dekalb Officers Blog Receives Praise

The DeKalb County Police Alliance is seeking nominations for the 2010 DeKalb Public Safety Champion Awards. These awards honor police officers, community members and community organizations who have a positive impact on public safety.

John Heneghan of Heneghan's Dunwoody Blog features an article about the DCPA's Public Champion Award. In his comment section he writes:

"I am aware of several acts of heroism as well as acts of kindness displayed by Dunwoody officers that are eligible for nomination but I will reserve my votes until I give it more thought and the deadline gets a little closer.

In all seriousness, the DeKalb Officers blog run by an anonymous DeKalb policeman has done more to identify issues within the Department and therefore affected real internal change which then impacts and improves the safety of the citizens relying on the DeKalb Police Department. Kudos to them"
.

Knowing that winning the lottery is more of a likelihood than being recognized by the DCPA, Mr. Heneghan's praise is reward enough.

DeKalb Officers

Click here
to submit your nomination for the DeKalb Public Safety Champion Award. Deadline is September 9, 2010.

Friday, June 25, 2010

Media Breaks Pawn Desk Scandal



Cars Are Loud!

A new quiet, peaceful carbon neutral specialized unit kicks off.

"The bicycle unit officers are equipped just as officers in cars. They are armed. They also have a set of handcuffs, ticketing pads and a radio, which is especially key".

What, no laptop?

Click here for AJC article.

Group Seeks To Recognize Public Safety Champions

Vote for DeKalb Officers Speak!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Pawn Desk Supervisor Terminated

Sylvia Woods, a long time pawn desk supervisor has been terminated. It appears she failed to verify any stolen article, including guns of all types, that was recovered by any other police agency, or pawnshop.

Other allegations include cheating on her payroll time, for example, taking a day off, but documenting being at work.

It is alleged this had been going on for up to 10 years!

More to come.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

They Are Bringing The Retirees Back!

Today the commission voted to bring back the ones who took advantage of the early retirement, at approximately 1 half of their yearly salary. They will be rehired as contractors with a cap of 3 years.

The county also saves additional money because any health benefits will be covered by the retirees pension plan.

Is this a good thing? Probably

Details are still being ironed out. We don't know if public safety will be included or not. But why wouldn't they be?

Monday, June 21, 2010

Wizard Calls For Outside Audit of DeKalb's CAD System

So Wizard is calling for an outside audit of the 911 CAD system. Seems like he may be reading the blog after all.

Calling for an audit and actually implementing the findings are two separate things. Classic example is the resent findings by Georgia State University showing the county is bloated with unnecessary voters, we mean employees.

Odds are, once the audit is complete, the county will scream it doesn't have the money to fix the CAD system.

Just In Time For Summer, No Holiday Pay

Don't know if you noticed, but our paychecks were just a little bit short. Welcome to no pay holidays.

The hits will keep on coming. July 4th is just a mere 2 weeks away.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Liz Carter Gains DeKalb FOP Endorsement

At the regular meeting on June 8, 2010, Republican candidate Liz Carter was unanimously endorsed in her bid for the US Representative seat currently held by Hank Johnson.

Being disappointed in our current District 4 representation and the downward spiral of our country under current leadership, Liz decided to launch her own campaign.

Liz Carter is no politician. She's a savvy businesswoman with over 20 years of real-world experience as an executive and job creator.

The DeKalb Fraternal Order of Police is proud to endorse her candidacy for the US House of Representatives.

Click here for Newsmakers Live video

http://www.lizcarterforcongress.com/

(Courtesy of DeKalb F.O.P.)

Seven Times The DeKalb County Grand Jury Said There Was Indadequate Staffing At 911 Call Center. Today It Is At The Worst Level Ever.

A very revealing posting about past Grand Jury investigations into the 911 center.

Click here

“Sometimes We’re At A Situation Where The Operators Can’t Even Use The Restroom"

Those are the words of our Public Safety Director Wizard Miller describing the horrendous working conditions of our 911 center.

Almost a third of the 122 jobs assigned to the center are vacant. Why is this? It can't be money, because supposedly, salaries are covered by 911 funds charged on phone bills.

Could the reason be piss poor leadership from the top?

The madness worsens.

Click here for more.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Burrell Ellis, Commissioners Not Capable To Lead DeKalb County

Burrell as not a leader, and is in over his head. His missteps, along with those of the commissioners are leading us down a dark unknowing road.

Faced with a budget shortfall, the county (aka county commissioners) spent tens of thousands of dollars on a study proving the county is bloated with employees. The county has chosen to ignore it, even going as far to say the study is flawed.

To accomplish the early retirement plan, the county had to borrow millions of dollars from the pension, which has to be repaid with interest. Now Ellis is wanting to refill over 500 of the 800 vacant positions at a cost of over 3 million dollars per year.

Burrell wants to give Broad Street Properties over 40 million dollars to develop the abandoned General Motors plant in Doraville. Develop it into what remains to be seen.

The county does not have 40 million dollars. Ellis recommends another tax burden on the citizens for the next 30 years to come up with the 40 million. If he can't get his way, then he said he would make cuts elsewhere, making it "cost neutral". What a croak, "cost neutral". If it's cost neutral, then why borrow the money?

Ok, we'll try to do the math on the total outstanding bond debt for the county before Ellis trys to ram another 40 million dollar debt down our throat. Here goes: $946,763,000.00.

And people are wondering why the county is in such dire financial straights. Remember, this didn't' start when Ellis was elected Chief Executive Officer. He was part of the system for the previous 8 years too.

If we started on the school system's waste of taxpayer money, our heads would explode.

Hold on to your wallets because the madness continues!

Saturday, June 12, 2010

DeKalb County Acted Properly In Firing Police Chief Terrell Bolton

DeKalb County acted properly in firing police chief Terrell Bolton for insubordination and improper use of county vehicles, a Superior Court judge has ruled. Even if it hadn't, Judge Robert Castellaniruled Thursday, Bolton took too long to respond to a motion to dismiss his appeal.

www.atlantaunfiltered.com

Thursday, June 10, 2010

911 Is Finally Being Exposed

With the never ending tweaking of the CAD system, addresses have been lost. Just gone, puff!

For years now addresses and calls have been assigned to the wrong precinct with the department making absoluety no effort to correct it. It's either incompetence or down right neglect.

We still call for an outside investigation into the problems with the CAD system. People probably have or will die because of the complete and total lackadaisical attitude of the command staff.

Someone needs to be held accountable. If ol' Wizard Miller has his fancy saying of "Leadership from the top", then that's where it needs to start. (We're pretty sure Bolton left over Karen Anderson came up with that motto).

Under his administration nothing has changed but the faces and names. Incompetence within the command staff is rampant. The CAD system needs to be corrected and corrected now. It's only when people die or nearly die that the system is exposed.

We have been screaming for years the system is flawed, yet nothing is done and the same people are in charge of it. The emphasis of Wizard Millers' direction this department is going, is to see how much grant money can be collected to arm ICP with assault riles, radar machines to sit on the side of the road and the never ending expense of maintaining those 5 stupid ass buses.

Hire professionals Wizard! Stop promoting unqualified people and then give them on the job training or the lack there of. Search wide and far, even if it has to be a civilian, at least find a person that is qualified. We have enough of Matchbook University people in command positions.

But the bottom line is, it takes a competent professional to know one.

The madness continues!

Click here for more

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Ambulance Company Wants DeKalb 911 Audit

What do you want to bet they are denied the request?

Care Ambulance must think they are dealing with rational people on the commission.

Click here for more

Department Seeks $65,000.00 To Arm ICP With Assault Rifles

The county is seeking 65 thousand dollars to arm ICP with AR15 assault rifles.

ICP is described as working with youth, schools, seniors, apartment managers, homeowners, businesses and religious groups, just to mention a few.

Do these groups really pose such a threat that ICP officers have to attend community meetings armed with assault rifles? Or maybe it's to guard the magic buses. Wait, that can't be true because a beat car is pulled to guard the buses, not an ICP officer.

Seems to us the department would rather arm a 911 answering beat officer who faces danger on a daily basis instead. But you never know when little Johnny might nut up at church or when granny might break bad at the senior home.

Just as ludicrous, Bolton's loyalist praise the magic buses in the grant money request. If you thought Burrell Ellis was going to do the sensible thing by auctioning off the useless buses to recoup some of Bolton's wasteful spending, think again.

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

The madness continues.

Click here for the grant money request (page 25).

Monday, June 7, 2010

Torrey Thompson Hearing

Remember, Torrey Thompson's hearing before the Georgia Supreme Court is tomorrow June 8, 2010 at 10:00 AM.

Local television news stations WSB 2, WAGA 5 and WXIA 11 to some extent, plan on covering the hearing.

If at all possible, please attend in uniform to show your support.

This could be you!

Click here for directions to the Supreme Court.


Read about Torrey's case here.

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Torrey Thompson Legal Defense Fund

If you want to help Torrey with his legal expenses, click here.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

DeKalb Housing Chief Quits As Feds Continue Probe

More corruption in DeKalb County? Say it isn't so.

Click here for Atlanta Unfiltered

A Note To All

We appreciate all comments, but we do monitor them for content. If you wish to sign your name to a comment, you must email us at dekalbofficers@gmail.com so we can verify you actually what your name included.

Now, a note to Ron Burgandy. Your posts and humor is always welcomed. Recently the amount of comments being sent under the name of "Ron Burgandy" increased to an unusual amount and out of character.

We'll be glad to post your comments, but to ensure your identify has not be stolen, send us an email that includes the topic of your last comment you sent to us today.

Thanks for reading and sharing. We all can use some humor.

DeKalb Officers

DeKalb: Dispatchers And Ambulance Crew Violated Policy

"The three dispatchers have been disciplined, Miller said. A spokeswoman for the county said the dispatchers have not all been notified and she could not identify them or detail the extent of that discipline".

Now that makes a lot of sense. The dispatchers have been disciplined, but they haven't been notified? Somebody is stupid, either Wiz (The Wizard) Miller is, or the reporter is for not asking, huh? Or maybe it's mutual stupidity.

Click here for AJC article.

Friday, June 4, 2010

Assuming No More Delays, Torrey Thompson Case Heads to Georgia Supreme Court on June 8th

At 3 a.m. on September 12, 2006, DeKalb Officer Torrey Thompson's life changed forever. He was forced to kill a suspect. Thompson now has been charged with felony murder, manslaughter, aggravated assault, and violation of an oath by an officer following the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Matthews, a wanted dangerous felon who had demonstrated willingness to put others in harm’s way to avoid arrest.

Oral arguments are set to begin on June 8th at 10am before the Georgia Supreme Court. The DeKalb District Attorney is appealing a lower court ruling that barred Thompson's testimony as protected by Garrity vs. New Jersey. Even if the statements are allowed to stand, the case against Torrey is quite weak, but the outcome of this case is important to law enforcement officers nationwide.

(Courtesy of DeKalb F.O.P.)

If there is any possible way, please support Torrey by attending the hearing in uniform. We are trying our best to get media coverage. Remember, this could be you!


A Little Insight Into The CAD System By An Anonymous Poster

I always find it humorous when people make comments about a Police Officer and a Police Sergeant having approved the CAD in DeKalb. What makes anyone think those two had any type of authority to make such a decision? We are talking about a multi-million dollar purchase with a multi-year maintenance contract.

Here is what really happened with the CAD in DeKalb...
The system RFP (Request for Proposal) was written by Ken Hamilton, then Director of the 911 Center. He had come over from the Information Systems Department when Thomas Brown was still the Director of Public Safety. This was a set up by Vernon Jones. Ken Hamilton came to the County after leaving Bell South. The RFP was basically a copy of the one used by Fulton County some years back. Fulton County uses the same CAD that DeKalb has now.

Prior to a selection being made, there was a committee made up of only DeKalb 911 personnel, headed up by Sandy Pendley (She was a 911 Shift Manager and is a niece to RT Burgess). They shopped around and checked out numerous CAD systems, including the one that several thought DeKalb should buy at the time, Intergraph. The committee chose InterAct Public Safety, the CAD that DeKalb has now. The breaks got put on the decision to move forward by then Deputy Chief Marinelli, after he was appointed to oversee the Ken Hamilton and the 911 Center. No decision for a CAD should be made solely by 911 personnel. Police, Fire and Sheriff personnel are users too.

The RFP then came out from Ken Hamilton's Office. The only say that police personnel got in the RFP was the functionality of the mobile client and NCIC.

Ken Hamilton was also selected to chair the official DeKalb selection committee. The selection committee is a function of the purchasing and procurement system and is put together for all large RFPs and bids. The true selection committee was comprised of Ken Hamilton from 911, Eric Wisherd from Police, a Battalion Chief from Fire, several personnel from the Department of Information Systems and several people from the CEO's Office (Vernon Jones crowd) and several people from unrelated departments that had nothing to do with CAD. There was also a Finance person involved and a Contracts Compliance person involved.

A little DeKalb history for you. Vernon Jones, former Bell South. Ken Hamilton, former Bell South. Joe Stone (Director of County Personnel), former Bell South. There are countless others that are former Bell South in ranking positions in DeKalb Government that were all part of the Vernon Jones regime.

The current Police and Fire HQ, former Bell South office buildings and purchased from Bell South.

InterAct CAD (CAD used by DeKalb), bid to DeKalb by Bell South.

A number of people on the selection committee were either former Bell South personnel or worked for former Bell South personnel.

Do you see a trend here?

Wisherd didn't make the decision.
Fritchey wasn't even involved. He worked on the radio system project.

The decision to go with the Interact CAD was made long before police or fire personnel could get involved. The only thing that could be done after the award of the CAD system was to try to make it work. To this day it doesn’t do what the users want. There is no doubt that there are problems. A lot of the problems stem from trying to make the CAD do things it wasn’t designed to do. DeKalb has tried to make the InterAct CAD something it is not and has suffered greatly as a result. Personally I think the CAD is designed for smaller agencies running on cellular cards with near limitless bandwidth. It’s certainly not designed to operate for an agency the size of DeKalb over radios that are slower than old dial up internet service.

There you have the details. It’s far deeper than any line level officer or supervisor could have accomplished.

For me, this is a story of one more corrupt thing that Vernon Jones rammed down the throats of the men and women out there trying to do the job. No one was going to stop him.

Thursday, June 3, 2010

DeKalb Terminates Ambulance Contract With Care Ambulance

The county has decided without public reasoning to end it's ambulance contract with Care Ambulance. This will take effect July 5, 2010.

Whatever the reasoning is, we hope the county has a replacement to take over immediately or the citizens of DeKalb will suffer even more.

Call us cynical, but we believe this is a knee jerk reaction by the commissioners. Odds are, the newly contracted ambulance service will be at a higher price to the taxpayers and probably connected to someone in the hierarchy within the county.

The county is in a position where it has to prove it is not corrupt.

Click here for more.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

DeKalb Over Spent Health Benefits By 1.6 Million Dollars

Wasn't the reason for dropping Blue Cross/Blue Shield to save money?

The commission continues to show it's gross incompetence.

Click here for more.

Note from DeKalb Officers: Some of the comments received at starting to get into national politics.
This is not that type of forum. There are thousands of national political forums to choose from on the internet.
Please comments related to DeKalb County.

Thank you

An E Mail Exchange Concerning Dekalb Co Early Retirement

Click here for Dorablog

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Burrell Is Starting His Vote Buying Jobs Program

Masterful plan there Burrell! Let's take 800 employees and dump them on the pension, and then re-hire 500 more.

In the meantime, the City of Dunwoody is operating within budget and has surplus cash.



Politicians; enough to make you puke.

Click here for AJC story

GSP Shoots Fleeing Suspect In South Precicnt

Click here for more