Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Chief O'Brien To Hold Round-Table Discussion With Sergeants and Lieutenants

Chief O'Brien is holding a round-table discussion with all sergeants and lieutenants today at 15:00 and tomorrow at 09:00. Both meetings will be held at the Fire Building, 1950 West Exchange Pl, 5th Floor - Peer Auditorium.

Sorry for the late word. The chief's office sent out an email last week, but with the winter storm, it slipped by us.

This is your chance to talk to the man. Hope all can make it.

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Iam considering DKPD. I've read so much here on the boards by officers there. Im not looking to get rich, I just enjoy what I do (already sworn in another state)I did visit the precint in Dunwoody and spoke with an officer. He seemed reluctant about some of the issues, but I try to keep a positive outlook. With a new Chief, I know there will be changes for the better hopefully. What advice can any of you give me on the department. Thank you very much

Anonymous said...

I might get demoted, but I will not attend any meeting on my time anymore. Period. So I will not attend these two bullshit meeting that will mean nothing or change anything. Waste of time once again..... If you want me there, schedule it when I work thanks....

Anonymous said...

Chief I am not a Sgt or Lt but I want to see you go downtown and tell who ever needs telling that your troops need Health Care. When we contact personel they tell us not to call or email because everyone is in the same boat. Well I like to use common sense we are not in the same boat. I take 100 times more risk everyday. I took the pay decrease and moved on but now I have to explain to my family they have no Health coverage because the County screwed up. I am held to the highest standard even when im not paid high standard pay. Chief you need to demand a quick fix to this problem. I am willing to bet everyone downtown has there coverage.

Anonymous said...

To Anony 2037 you made the rank you made for a reason. It could have been the 10% but I know the raise is not worth the trouble for me. So with that said I hope you made rank because you wanted to correct the problems and things that you hated when you where awnsering calls. You need to be a leader and come up with ways to lead and just maybe the Chief will go along with a idea you came up with. As a Leader you gave up the leter "I" when you took the test. You need to voice the opinions or those who can not attend the meeting even if it means on your off time.

Anonymous said...

This is a department of politics and will not change any time soon. When we had positions appointed and not merit based we were doomed.

Then look at the testing by Auburn it is done so they cannot say it was unfair. It is completed by demographics. Some things will never change in today's standard. Good luck to all who apply at Dekalb Police Department.

I have been a Master Police Officer for twenty years and have not reached the top out pay for the grade. I will not be entitle to the 250 dollar bonus that is going to the MPO's that have maxed out in pay. I think there may be less than 10 in the whole department. That is a big incentive for senior officers.

I can't wait to see what 2011 holds in store for us.

Anonymous said...

To Jan 18 8:03pm poster.....I have some advice for you. DO NOT WASTE your talent or your life in Dekalb. Go to a department that will appreciate you and not sh-t on you everytime you turn around.

Anonymous said...

To Anon 8:03 PM

DeKalb County Police used to be THE best funded, The best equiped, THE best trained, THE most highly motivated department in the eastern half of the United States....until the liberal politicians sold the entire county down the river with thier "social policies". DeKalb used to be THE place to live, work and raise a family in the entire metro area. There were more buisness opportunities, more jobs, the best school system, outstanding roads and infrastucture system, than any county for 1000 miles around. DeKalb, even though it was next to a major city, still had an excellent sense of community with good neigbors who cared about one another. We had Block Parents to watch out for school children in the neighborhoods and keep an eye out for crime.
But then things changed. The politics of the county changed. The mindset of the voters changed and they elected folks based on the color of thier skin instead of the content of their character. Inept police were taken under the wing of these corrupt politicians and made into police supervisors simply based on thier race and not on whether or not they could do the job. Whole neighborhoods became war zones where drugs were openly bought and sold on street corners and gunfire and death were rampant. During this time the DeKalb County Police Department was overwhelmed by the huge upswing in crime and responded the best they could....until the funding from those elected officials started to run out. Even a crooked sheriff was elected to office and stayed there for years untal a Dekalb County Police Officer decided to run for sheriff...and won. That same DeKalb Officer was gunned down, assassinated in front of his family in his front yard, by hoods hired as deputies by the crooked sheriff just days before he was to be sworm into office.
Did the elected officials just not care about the police? Did they not care about the citizens? Were they affraid the police would follow the trail of crime back to them or members of thier families? Or did they want to use the money for the Police department for some pet project that would give them more attention among the voters, and more money in thier pockets? Did the voters in DeKalb prefer a criminal to be the CEO, Sheriff, or Chief of Police? It sure seems that way.
DeKalb County is now where most of the section 8 housing is in metro Atlanta. The infrastructure is collapsing and most honest business's fled years ago. Whole shopping malls now stand vacant. Massive scandals involving the school system etc etc are now the norm. Massive forclosures now flood the public notice section of the news papers. The CEO finally relented, after the last two complete idiots were appointed as chief of police, and appointed a Chief of Police from among our ranks...but then tied his hands. He has no power to make positive changes. He is only there to motivate the troops and be a figurehead. The director of public safety, a once coveted position, is now held by a former DeKalb Police Officer, whos hands are also tied by the politicians and unable to make any real lasting change.
So, Anon 8:03 PM, we remaining and retired DeKalb County Police Officers who remember how it was not that long ago want deep in our hearts to have you come to work here and help us fight the overwhelming crime. Now we can only say..... Work Here At Your Own Risk! The political hires in Decatur now have incompetent cronies working in risk management and they have even screwed up some of our county health insurance plans so bad the some officers dont even have it anymore and have been dropped. So you have to ask yourself, do you really want to subject yourself and your family to this nightmare?

Sgt Friendly says: "Oh Hell No"

Anonymous said...

To 2310 PM youve got to be kidding me,,, Right???? Ok I will lead you right to a different Department that cares about you.... I did take the test for the 10% but I am actually making almost 20 % less than when I was an MPO...I can only changes thing that is allowed by the higher ups.... The think I can change that they cant stop. No matter what, is my future. M outta here ASAP. I hope I dont get hurt or my kids need to go to the doctor any time soon cause I have no coverage.... 2310 ,What do you have to say bout that.. OOOO I know I can go to Grady for free... Great Hospital and I mean that but dont want to have to go there....

Anonymous said...

Isn't Chief Yarbrough the one giving the orders to demote people who are not writing tickets. then he comes in room with his BS political statement. Rancifer Jr.Where are we going in this place.

Anonymous said...

Round table - what the chief is saying is that we should look past the political BS and get back to doing things for the right reasons.

We do things better, not because we're paid or someone will give us a pat on the back... we do things because we take pride in who WE are personally.

We do things better, because we represent our families at home....I was taught at a young age that your name, your family's name and your reputation is to be treasured and protected...don't soil it, disrespect it, or destroy it.

What would mom, dad, sis, or junior think of what you do or don't do? Did or do you live up to your family's name?

We do things better because WE ARE better.....

We do things better because we represent DKPD......

I think it can be summed up in the following:

A measure of a man (or woman) is not what they do when everyone is looking, but what they do when they are by themselves.

Driving home at night, I travel a road with little to no traffic. There's a stop sign by the entrance to my neighborhood.... no one is around... do I stop at the stop sign.... or blow thru it.

It's late at night....no one is around.....

What would you do?

Think about it and apply that to your day to day activities on the job.

Anonymous said...

anon 8:03 pm, very well stated.

Anonymous said...

Bill Obrien.....was always privledged. Just look at how much time he did on the street.....COMPANY MAN.

Didnt his mom work for the county years ago?

Hmmmmmm funny how nepotism works.....

Anonymous said...

Anon 10:06..............Whatever. Stop drinking the water......

Too many years to leave said...

Anon 8:03..... I'd consider elsewhere. The chief is behind us but the supporting cast is behind Decatur. I fear the Chief is fighting a foe that is too large to defeat.

If you find yourself in a situation where the outcome is dependent on the supporting cast's decision, you'll be left holding the bag every time. Right or wrong be damned...... their job is to save money and protect Decatur.

Younger officers need to get the experience and bounce to the feds. If they don't have their degrees, they need to get them and bounce to the feds.

If you have your degree..... go federal.

Anonymous said...

Hell yeah anon 8:03 come on join us..There are problems everywhere and despite the economic downturn we're going thru things are turning around. We have a good leader in Chief O'Brien who cares and will do everything he can do to eventually get us what we need, within reason..don't believe the negative people on this blogs...things are far worse at some other departments out there. Come join us we would love to have you..God bless you and may he save the lost souls that are trying to poison everything right he stands for.

Anonymous said...

Degree? Feds? What fantasy camp are you in? We have ppl with master degrees applying because the Feds aren't hiring. We have pple with master degrees working 41's now. They'll be happy to take your application on the fed level and tell you "We'll rush this one through for ya son"! Truth is, there isn't much of a rush as 72,313 other police officers all over the country with degrees are applying for the same jobs.

In regards to Bill and being privileged.. You're just flat wrong. I've been in numerous chases and fights with him right in the thick of it. I've seen him walk into 87's and control a room. I've been on countless calls with Bill when most of you were learning how to read..

Bill is a cop. Nothing more, nothing less. He's a cop that happens to be the Chief of Police. Bill is the kind of cop we should strive to be.. But then again, maybe someone might think I was privileged if I worked hard and paved my own way..

Anonymous said...

Some could say Bobby Burgess was "privileged" since his father was clerk of what was then called "Inferior Court",now State Court.

The department did pretty could under his rein.

Rock on O.B.!

Anonymous said...

Anon 09:37 Yeah buddy some 87 handler he was , For what a year? MPO, MF, MPO and then straight to IA, then 10-26, Sgt., then IA , LT. IA Capt and then whatever....... IA, IA, IA . Nights, weekends, and Holidays off. Who the ---- are you kidding? Yeah. BO has your back and he s COP'S COP. WHAT EVER.

Keep drinking the water. Its people like you that makes the BOC realize that they can dish out whatever and you'll keep coming to work....... "331 I am 10-41" Dumb ---!

Till the masses stop going 10-41, itll only get worse.

Wake up. They are using all of you. Years ago a former Center MPO and now south side Sgt. said " The County knows we are are unskilled laborers. As such they know they can get people to do this job for peanuts". How true.

Thats who doing this job now. The people who will work for peanuts. Look back at all the dedicated officers who have henceforth moved on.......... I dont want to name them .......but they were some really good guys and gals............that this county has lost. What a pity. I mean really good folk that would lay their lives down for their department. GONE. Moved on. To Gwinnett, Broward County FL (Yeah Iam talking about you), Forsythe, Johns Creek,Sandy Springs, etc .Hell my wife got stopped by----- for speeding and (i wont name the municipality) low and behold Officer-------- from former DKPD worked with the guy for the agency who had stopped us. I couldn't believe it. The high calibre of officers that DKPD has lost, including this officer.

The jokes on the citizens of Dekalb County. Who live in that rat hole.

I have left DKPD. And today I was talking to someone who told me that the other day they got stopped for an expired tag 40-2-8 by DKPD and guess what the officer did ? A warning 10-67. Back in the day that would have have been a long copy for sure. But in 2011 its a warning. HA HA Ha what A JOKE!!!!!!!!!!

What a dump!!!!!!!!!! Officers......... Act like a blue submarine. Go 10-41 and disappear for 10. Then resurface and collect your check till you can get the ---- out of there!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

anon 7:15 are you kidding? You tell me a department that does what Dekalb does to its police? Please tell me. No merit increases for 4 years, 7 furlough days last year, higher insurance premiums/less coverage and now 100% increase in pension. Worse, don't think so.
To the poster who is considering Dekalb, have more respect for yourself and qualifications and go to another dept. Dekalb will take your self respect and make you feel like your job is meaningless. I say this and I'm not even a cop. I have seen what Dekalb has done to my family/friends.

Anonymous said...

I have never seen so much bickering about jobs, policies, procedures and comments on various subjects as I have seen in this blog.

I know what it is like to not get raises, have your perks cut, see increases in insurance, taxes, and all of the other crap associated with a paycheck.

Remember one thing, this is a problem, which over the last three or four years, has become an universal problem. The housing bubble started all this s _ _ _, and until that market is fixed, the problems are going to continue.

The problem gets worse because of the ineptitude of the BOC, CEO, and COO, and those who handle the money.

I wish that I can say that everything will improve, the only problem, I cannot say when this will happen.

Yes, China will own the USA as it is only a matter of time before the whole country is bought up.
Furthermore, the USA isn't the only country China has on its radar.

Those who have been lucky enough to retire, are feeling the biggest pinch. Yes, those fancy 82-1/2% pensions were very good starting point for active employees way back when, but the new and current ones are faced with 67%, which is a steep cut. Be very thankful, that you will have a pension, because a lot of jurisdictions today, have closed or removed their pension as a retirement option.

A case in point, the city of Duluth Georgia has such a bad pension, that even after 30 years,
an employee can't retire. Be thankful for what you have. Yes, there are better pensions out there, but they too are disappearing slowly.

This blog is a way to "get it off your chest" and still remain sane.

Anonymous said...

Well I was there and when Chief Obrien looked at Chief Holmes asking if he had anything to say.
Yep you guessed it he stood there and said "Naw Chief you about said it all".
He couldnt even add anything to the conversation, what a bafoon.

Anonymous said...

It's a bad time to be Chief of Police in Dekalb County. The problem is not just all of the recent negatives associated with being a Dekalb Co police officer. It is also all of the past history Shinaginins that have gone on. It's cumilitive. We are mad as hell and we are not going to take it anymore. Some of you speil about how good it was when Burgess and Moody were in charge. I might just have to throw up.

Anonymous said...

Anon 1240....Holy Crap Man....You are one angry former DKPD officer....Im sorry we lost you and so many others, but if you are gone from here and still holding on to that much anger, you need to get some help....SERIOUSLY....I speak from experience. Until then, DEEP BREATHS my friend, deep breaths....

Anonymous said...

as an aspiring police officer - I have seen what dekalb does to police officers. Don't do it.

Dekalb police officers have what i call the "perp walk"

I havent seen very many a dekalb police officer walk with pride and honor - many of them walk like unmotivated apes, dragging in their worn out uniforms as their feet carry their burned out hearts.

I mean it. LOOK at the way a dekalb police officer walks. A lot you can tell about someone by the way they walk.
Hell, youtube dekalb police officer and see if you cant find one on the road.

These officers im sure had hearts of gold - being treated like trash and unskilled ignoranus's reflects on the outter personality.

Go somewhere ELSE!

Anonymous said...

At least you'll don't drive cars purchased of off Ebay that were previously wrecked by other agencies?

Step raises, Max pay, ???? We get nothing. The one year Deputy earns as much as the 10yr Deputy. et al

As bad as you'll have it - it could be worse. Visit the counties to your south.