View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2006 > April > 12
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Starting a police department from scratch
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If I knew I’d have to work like this then maybe I would have gone to my retirement plan B, which was to sell snow cones at the beach. Little by little I’m getting the e-mails back on, but we don’t expect to be at full speed until July when we will have our own report management system, meaning we can review our own reports daily.
As frustrating as it is, it will all be worth it with all of the technology that we will use, including tracking and managing crime trends on state-of-the-art GIS systems.
I don’t know what to do with all these new toys. Before it was just crayons and blank copy paper.
Although we are not set up yet to deliver the ongoing reports, we do want to start delivering information about what is going on with the Sandy Springs Police Department and how it will affect you.
What are we doing now?
Hiring
We spent almost three weeks on interviews for applicants in the areas of police officer, senior and specialized officer, sergeant, and lieutenant. We are now engaged in the background investigation phase of the process as well as the polygraph phase. Our goal is to hit the street July 1, 2006, with 85 sworn officers, plus additional civilian personnel.
Patrol vehicles
Sandy Springs has a fleet of patrol cruisers (I still think that’s an interesting word for a car) that have been delivered and more are being put together for delivery. We will be further outfitting them with communications, video and computer equipment in order to make them very efficient on day one. The cars will be black with a large blue diagonal stripe with the words Sandy Springs Police on it. They look good.
Game plans
This is something else I’m not used to. A game plan. Chief Gene Wilson brings with him, the CompStat police management system. CompStat is a method of policing through accurate and constant data used to develop police operations management. In other words, direct the resources to the areas where they are needed. It also brings a system of accountability (another new word to me) for results, in other words, getting the job done.
This method of policing was developed in New York City has shown great results all over the country where the program has been implemented. CompStat meetings will be held on a regular basis and the public will be invited.
We put our Part I crimes on the map for a sort of look-see. Part I crimes are the most serious crimes. It involves homicide, aggravated assault, other assaults, burglary, felony theft, etc. The map is dotted all the way up Roswell Road so on one hand, business is good but on the other, this community will be a great fit for CompStat.
Control Central
Part of growing pains is finding a home. We’re currently at the city hall complex at 7840 Roswell Road but looking for a building or complex that we can call home for the next few years until we can get a police department building constructed.
Jail facilities are currently contracted with the City of Roswell. This means that city cases are not booked into the Fulton County Jail, meaning that the officer does not have to be out of service for two hours. This puts him and her back on the street sooner.
Neighborhood Watch
We are already working on the new programs for both the residential and business community. The program will be different and more involved. Of course we changed the design of the sign for that unique look but we’re also going to a program completion system meaning that we’ll schedule each neighborhood, wanting to join, for three meetings over a period of time. Each meeting will involve orientation and then specifics of area crime and crime trends. At the end of the three meeting program, the signs will be ordered and installed. Sandy Springs, in order to keep the signs in stock and current, will require the neighborhood watch community to purchase or reimburse the city for the template. That cost however, should be around $20. I can loan you the money if it’s a problem.
Business Watch
We’re going to develop a business watch that is active and participates in the crime prevention effort in Sandy Springs. Our plans are to create business watch districts with area representatives and an active network of communication from business to business to the police.
It’s going to be a lot of fun.
Film at 11!
