Entries from January 2017
Letter to the editor
Dear editor,
Hello fellow Georgians, I live in a fine community where it is quite common for citizens to approach me and ask what they can do to help us. I know police officers don’t always have such a relationship with the people they serve and I am most grateful for support like this, especially these days. I am about to ask you to help me and the entire deputy sheriffs and city police in this state.
My career in law enforcement has now spanned 43 years, and I began my sixth term in office as the sheriff of Putnam County two days ago. I have seen and been part of phenomenal changes in this profession over the years, but I regretfully now clearly recognize that we have reached a crisis point for law enforcement in our country of which the average citizen is just unaware.
In 2016 there were 140 law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in this country. Of these deaths, 106 men and women were local city/county police and deputy sheriffs, 19 were state officers, six were federal officers and the remaining nine were territory, college or transit officers.
The loss of 140 officers’ lives in a year is unfortunately not unusual. What is different is the fact that 65 of those officers died as a result of gunfire, which represents 69% increase in such cases from 2015. This is not something that is just occurring in the big cities. In the last two months alone there have been 9 officers shot within 100 miles of where I’m sitting and five of them were killed. Georgia ended 2016 ranking fourth in the nation of line duty deaths.
Even more unusual this year are the occurrences of officers being ambushed simply because they are police. Of the 65 killed by gunmen last year, 21 of the officers were ambushed. This is the first time in my career that I can ever remember officers being shot as they sat in their cars or fired upon when they arrived on the scene of a bogus call. This is genuinely unprecedented in our history, and everyone in our profession is on edge and worried as never before.
As a sheriff, my single biggest difficulty has been the inability to hire and retain qualified officers. This is not unique to Putnam County, but a systemic problem throughout Georgia law enforcement. Our very best officers almost always leave local law enforcement agencies after a few years and go on to better pay and benefits with state and federal agencies. The Georgia Sheriffs’ Association did a survey last November with 76 of the 159 sheriffs reporting that they had lost more than 500 of their deputies to state law enforcement agencies over the last 10 years. I remind you those figures came from less than half of the sheriffs and didn’t include the number of officers who left city agencies for state jobs. City and county law enforcement agencies have truly become nothing more than training grounds for our state law enforcement agencies. The constant costs associated with this turnover and training can hardly be quantified, and it is patently unfair for the local taxpayers to repeatedly foot this bill.
Our plight of hiring and retaining personnel was exponentially exacerbated last September when Governor Deal announced that ALL state law enforcement personnel would be receiving a 20% increase in pay. Let me be very clear here, I absolutely support those officers getting a raise and think they deserve it. On the other hand though, if the state officers deserve a 20% increase, local city and county officers deserve the same increase if not more.
[Full Story »]
Hello fellow Georgians, I live in a fine community where it is quite common for citizens to approach me and ask what they can do to help us. I know police officers don’t always have such a relationship with the people they serve and I am most grateful for support like this, especially these days. I am about to ask you to help me and the entire deputy sheriffs and city police in this state.
My career in law enforcement has now spanned 43 years, and I began my sixth term in office as the sheriff of Putnam County two days ago. I have seen and been part of phenomenal changes in this profession over the years, but I regretfully now clearly recognize that we have reached a crisis point for law enforcement in our country of which the average citizen is just unaware.
In 2016 there were 140 law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in this country. Of these deaths, 106 men and women were local city/county police and deputy sheriffs, 19 were state officers, six were federal officers and the remaining nine were territory, college or transit officers.
The loss of 140 officers’ lives in a year is unfortunately not unusual. What is different is the fact that 65 of those officers died as a result of gunfire, which represents 69% increase in such cases from 2015. This is not something that is just occurring in the big cities. In the last two months alone there have been 9 officers shot within 100 miles of where I’m sitting and five of them were killed. Georgia ended 2016 ranking fourth in the nation of line duty deaths.
Even more unusual this year are the occurrences of officers being ambushed simply because they are police. Of the 65 killed by gunmen last year, 21 of the officers were ambushed. This is the first time in my career that I can ever remember officers being shot as they sat in their cars or fired upon when they arrived on the scene of a bogus call. This is genuinely unprecedented in our history, and everyone in our profession is on edge and worried as never before.
As a sheriff, my single biggest difficulty has been the inability to hire and retain qualified officers. This is not unique to Putnam County, but a systemic problem throughout Georgia law enforcement. Our very best officers almost always leave local law enforcement agencies after a few years and go on to better pay and benefits with state and federal agencies. The Georgia Sheriffs’ Association did a survey last November with 76 of the 159 sheriffs reporting that they had lost more than 500 of their deputies to state law enforcement agencies over the last 10 years. I remind you those figures came from less than half of the sheriffs and didn’t include the number of officers who left city agencies for state jobs. City and county law enforcement agencies have truly become nothing more than training grounds for our state law enforcement agencies. The constant costs associated with this turnover and training can hardly be quantified, and it is patently unfair for the local taxpayers to repeatedly foot this bill.
Our plight of hiring and retaining personnel was exponentially exacerbated last September when Governor Deal announced that ALL state law enforcement personnel would be receiving a 20% increase in pay. Let me be very clear here, I absolutely support those officers getting a raise and think they deserve it. On the other hand though, if the state officers deserve a 20% increase, local city and county officers deserve the same increase if not more.
[Full Story »]
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
Suggested Republican presidential ticket a couple of elections away: two conservative females from the liberal state of Connecticut (neither lives there now). I suggest Laura Ingraham and Ann Coulter, both attorneys, very savvy, super smart, fine political instincts, gutsy, attractive and never held office. These two will never sell you out.
SpeedTrap.org has a list of over 80,000 speed trap locations in the USA and Canada, including many in Georgia, small and large towns, from Abbeville to Zetella (I’d have guessed Zebulon was the final Georgia entry. It was next to last). Highway robbery via speed trap is another huge government program, a big bucks business, just one more high tax.
“Right now, approximately 10% of the Mexican population lives within the borders of the United States, and more are coming every day.”
The Bear on TheAbsurdReport.com 9-15-15
Yes, the numbers are growing and open borders would ruin America.
Liberals think Open Borders will do wonders for America. We will wonder if American citizens can find jobs in the new leftist America Demo dreamland.
Today’s acronym lineup: GOP: Generally Obtuse Party, ESPN: Egotists Smugly Peddling Nonsense, UFO: Unbelievably Far Out, NCAA: National Coddled Athlete Association, NIT: Not Invited Tournament, NFL: National Felon League, MLB: Money Loving Brats, IRS: the initials you never need to explain, JEB!: Just Endless Boredom!
Never forget – Marco Rubio’s Gang of Eight bill would’ve gutted border enforcement.
Marco’s big mistake in his presidential campaign: “Rubio is hiring the inside D.C. class who will suck up his money but not help him win.”
Houston talk host Michael Berry
Sen. Rubio also came across as an ambitious pandering centrist who would say most anything to get elected. He fooled me completely when he moved quickly away from the conservative message he used to defeat Charlie Crist for the Senate. Charlie was one of the biggest sellouts of all time. [Full Story »]
Suggested Republican presidential ticket a couple of elections away: two conservative females from the liberal state of Connecticut (neither lives there now). I suggest Laura Ingraham and Ann Coulter, both attorneys, very savvy, super smart, fine political instincts, gutsy, attractive and never held office. These two will never sell you out.
SpeedTrap.org has a list of over 80,000 speed trap locations in the USA and Canada, including many in Georgia, small and large towns, from Abbeville to Zetella (I’d have guessed Zebulon was the final Georgia entry. It was next to last). Highway robbery via speed trap is another huge government program, a big bucks business, just one more high tax.
“Right now, approximately 10% of the Mexican population lives within the borders of the United States, and more are coming every day.”
The Bear on TheAbsurdReport.com 9-15-15
Yes, the numbers are growing and open borders would ruin America.
Liberals think Open Borders will do wonders for America. We will wonder if American citizens can find jobs in the new leftist America Demo dreamland.
Today’s acronym lineup: GOP: Generally Obtuse Party, ESPN: Egotists Smugly Peddling Nonsense, UFO: Unbelievably Far Out, NCAA: National Coddled Athlete Association, NIT: Not Invited Tournament, NFL: National Felon League, MLB: Money Loving Brats, IRS: the initials you never need to explain, JEB!: Just Endless Boredom!
Never forget – Marco Rubio’s Gang of Eight bill would’ve gutted border enforcement.
Marco’s big mistake in his presidential campaign: “Rubio is hiring the inside D.C. class who will suck up his money but not help him win.”
Houston talk host Michael Berry
Sen. Rubio also came across as an ambitious pandering centrist who would say most anything to get elected. He fooled me completely when he moved quickly away from the conservative message he used to defeat Charlie Crist for the Senate. Charlie was one of the biggest sellouts of all time. [Full Story »]
Mullis requests commissioners to remove dumpster
Eastman City Council Chairman Raymond Mullis went before the Dodge County Board of Commissioners requesting that they consider moving the dumpster site located on Airport Road.
Mullis stated that the city was working hard to get new businesses to go out to the airport area, but that there were some problems. He added that the city had cleaned up the roadway from inside the city limits out to the airport. Mullis presented photos of the trash site located on the Airport Road.
Mullis stated, “We do not need a trash dump in the industrial park.”
The dumpster site is located off the Airport Road with trees surrounding it just past the airport.
The commissioners took no action on the request.
Interim county manager Bobby Peacock requested commissioners approve to solicit a line of credit from the local banks for 1.5 million dollars. Peacock stated that the amount requested went down from the $2.7 million in 2016. Commissioners unanimously approved the request.
Chairman of the annual Bible reading marathon, Lydia Daniels, went before the commissioners requesting financial assistance of $1,500.00 to help with this year’s marathon. Daniels told commissioners that the funds would be used to purchase flags, a podium, a new tent and chairs. [Full Story »]
Mullis stated that the city was working hard to get new businesses to go out to the airport area, but that there were some problems. He added that the city had cleaned up the roadway from inside the city limits out to the airport. Mullis presented photos of the trash site located on the Airport Road.
Mullis stated, “We do not need a trash dump in the industrial park.”
The dumpster site is located off the Airport Road with trees surrounding it just past the airport.
The commissioners took no action on the request.
Interim county manager Bobby Peacock requested commissioners approve to solicit a line of credit from the local banks for 1.5 million dollars. Peacock stated that the amount requested went down from the $2.7 million in 2016. Commissioners unanimously approved the request.
Chairman of the annual Bible reading marathon, Lydia Daniels, went before the commissioners requesting financial assistance of $1,500.00 to help with this year’s marathon. Daniels told commissioners that the funds would be used to purchase flags, a podium, a new tent and chairs. [Full Story »]
Squaws win two of three to take second place in holiday classic
By Chad W. Smith
The 3rd ranked Dodge County High School Squaws basketball team had a great showing in the Volume Hyundai Holiday Classic Tournament this past week at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville and took the second place trophy. The 3rd ranked Squaws improved their record to 10-2 overall with wins over Class AAAAAA Northside-Warner Robins and Class AAAAA Veterans High before facing 6th ranked Class AAAAA Maynard Jackson (11-1) in the championship game and suffering their second loss of the season and first loss in the tournament. [Full Story »]
The 3rd ranked Dodge County High School Squaws basketball team had a great showing in the Volume Hyundai Holiday Classic Tournament this past week at Georgia College and State University in Milledgeville and took the second place trophy. The 3rd ranked Squaws improved their record to 10-2 overall with wins over Class AAAAAA Northside-Warner Robins and Class AAAAA Veterans High before facing 6th ranked Class AAAAA Maynard Jackson (11-1) in the championship game and suffering their second loss of the season and first loss in the tournament. [Full Story »]
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