Police Scanner

10:22pm Something going on…not sure what.  A vehicle is involved.  Sounds like they’re searching for someone.
10:24pm Can barely hear dispatcher, there is a loud noise almost covering her voice.
10:24pm Suspect is running west from something, couldn’t make out what the officer said.
10:26pm Suspect is running west from a business on Industrial Access Road.
10:28pm Officer saw suspect running on or near McIntosh.
10:28pm Huey Road is closed. There is a bridge washed out.
10:29pm Suspect possibly near houses.
10:31pm Suspect is on the other side of a fence from officers.
10:33pm Either a burglary or a domestic dispute reported (not related to above).
10:36pm Canines searching for suspect near Huey Road.
10:36pm Dogs barking like crazy at a house on Industrial Access.
10:40pm Welfare check at a hotel.  Possible domestic problem.
10:42pm Haven’t heard anything about search since 10:37pm.
10:42pm Officers think they know where suspect is.
10:44pm Officers checking a collapsed house for suspect.
10:44pm Drugs allegedly involved.  Reported smelling it in house.
10:47pm Officers believe they know where he is–suspect jumped over a 12 foot fence.
10:50pm Officers believe suspect is near a house on Huey Road.  Sending more officers to surround area.
10:51pm Possibly a person in a tree.  Related to the above but not suspect they are searching for.
10:54pm Officers trying to surround suspect.
10:58pm Suspect’s shirt found.
11:01pm Canines still searching for suspect.
11:02pm Searching near Huey & Maroney Mill.
11:11pm Sounds like they may have lost track of suspect.
11:21pm Fox5 spotted.  Apparently they drove past officers.
11:36pm They’ve called a 10-39 (resume normal operations) but I never did hear if they apprehended the suspect.

Douglasville Man Dead After Police Chase

From Fox57 in Columbia, South Carolina:

Man Dead After I-20 Police Chase

KERSHAW COUNTY — Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating a high-speed police chase Monday evening that led to a crash killing the suspect and seriously injuring two passengers.

According to Kershaw County Deputy Coroner Joe Wilson, 25-year-old Phillip Miller of Douglasville, Georgia, died at the scene from massive head and neck trauma. Marsha Ward Knox and a 14-month-old child were transported to Palmetto Richland Hospital in Columbia.

The chase began on Interstate-20 in Lee County when a deputy spotted the vehicle driving nearly 100 miles-per-hour, said Major Daniel Simon with the Lee County Sheriff’s Department. Officers pursued the suspect and the accident took place just after 8 p.m. in Kershaw County, near mile marker 102.

According to the highway patrol, Lee County and Kershaw County deputies, were pursuing the 2003 Volkswagon Passat when the car went off the off the road and hit some trees.

Blunt or Intimidation?

Got back from grocery shopping and had a recorded message from Sheriff Phil Miller.  He said, “I’ll be blunt.  You need to vote yes for the SPLOST.”  Then talked about how dangerous the current jail was.

Also got a flyer in the mail from the Keep Douglas Safe committee…which included a LONG editorial of persuasion to vote yes on the SPLOST.  It reads:

New Jail is matter of Good Government, Common Sense, & Public Safety

Jails might not be the most popular improvement in a county, but they’re essential to keeping a community safe.  We have to have them, and we have to keep up, unfortunately, with the usage demands on them.  Here in Douglas County, there is a serious need to bring our jail facility up to date.

Overcrowding in any jail prevents law enforcement community from meeting its obligations efficiently.  Being at or over capacity in Douglas County means we have to house inmates in other counties.  This costs Douglas taxpayers extra money for housing and transporting those inmates.  Our tax dollars are heading straight over to Irwin County every time we run the bus.  We have to spend this money to keep these inmates incarcerated, so we might as well do everything we can to keep more of our own money in Douglas County.

The deputies, guards and jailers who work for me put their lives on the line every day, and the more crowded a jail is, the more dangerous it is for the guards and jailers.  Guards in proximity to inmates are more vulnerable to being attacked, and less able to defend themselves in smaller, crowded spaces.  Transporting inmates increases the contact with prisoners, and increases the risk to my deputies.  Each one of these trips is another opportunity where a guard may become injured–or worse.

Douglas County faces the very real prospect of eventual federal intervention at the jail (Editor’s note: Judge Schoob has said she is not planning to force DC to build a jail–this has been confirmed).  It was a federal court order that forced Douglas County to build our current jail, in 1980, at increased tax expense to every homeowner in Douglas.  If that happens, County officials have no say in the design, capacity or expense of a new jail–they could order us to build a Taj Mahal (Editor’s Note: The proposed jail will cost $151 million.  You tell me that isn’t a Taj Mahal.), and we would be forced to comply.  Federal mandates on jail procedures, and added expenses would come with these mandates.

Fortunately for Douglas County taxpayers, there is time to act and spare our county from enduring costly, time-consuming “fixes” for our jail situation.

On November 3, we can adopt a simple one-cent sales tax to build a better, safer jail.  The tax is set for 6-year maximum, capped at $151 million (Editor’s Note:  The economy is bad right now.  What happens if they don’t raise this in six years?  Do they raise property taxes?), and the funds raised will go only to a new detention facility–and nothing else.  Once the money has been raised, the tax ends, period.  This is a temporary tax, and it’s dedicated to funding construction of the new facility only.

I don’t like paying taxes any more than any Douglas County homeowner.  But this one-cent sales tax will fund a basic government function that we need to keep our county safe from people who have been charged with crimes.  This is not an optional government luxury–it’s basic public safety, which is what you hired me to do when you elected me.

I hope we do what is right for our community and our public safety employees by giving Douglas County the jail it is so desperately needs (Editor’s Note: yes, that’s how it’s written.)

Phil Miller, Sheriff, Douglas County

And by the way…the keepdouglassafe.com website is still not up.  And why have we not seen the plans for the jail?  It will house 1,500 inmates…and the jail has 845 inmates now…and there are a LOT awaiting trial who are in there on a temporary basis.  Why have we not seen maps of where things will be located on the jail complex?  How many floors will it be?  Plans were provided during a previous SPLOST…why not this time?  Why didn’t the sheriff’s department put this information on their website?  Also, a study has not been done on how large the jail should be.  BOC Chairman Tom Worthan didn’t want to spend $40-60,000 to do a study. That’s a lot less than $151 million–and maybe if it was done, the jail wouldn’t cost $151 million.  And does the cost of this also include the office/administrative building they were proposing to build next to the new jail?  So many questions, so few answers…

Jail Capacity Questioned

In July of 2008, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office reported (page 9) that the jail capacity was 810.  Then, suddenly, in August, they reported (page 9) the capacity was 485.  Why would the sheriff’s office do this?  In July, the jail was at 80% capacity.  According to this report, it was NOT over capacity.  As in, it was not overcrowded.  And then, in August, the number suddenly shot down to 485, and the Sheriff’s Office was able to suddenly claim that the jail was 131% over capacity.  131%!  But get this–the police department now claims that, with a capacity of 732 in September, that it is 151% over capacity.

In July 2008, there were 651 inmates in the jail.  In August, there were 636–15 fewer than July.  Yet, according to this new report, it was over capacity.  They also claimed in January 2004 that the capacity was 618 and that it was at 100% capacity, even though there were 616 inmates.  June 2004 was when the capacity was changed to 810 and was at 77% capacity.

Today, the jail’s number of inmates is at 814, which, at the old 810 capacity number, would make the jail only slightly over capacity.

Reports dating back to January 2004 can be found here.

A HUGE thanks to James Bell for posting the link to this Monthly Jail Reports page on Topix.

Unbelivable

Unbelievable.  Was searching blogs for Douglasville and came upon a website that SPECIFICALLY tells people looking for marijuana they can find it at Arbor Place Mall.  They say to look for people sitting on benches and crowding the doorways.  Obviously I’m not going to post the link to this website (unless an officer emailed me and asked for the link, then I’d forward it to them).  Speaking of officers, it also says that “cops will usually let you off with a warning unless you get the rookies.”  Even has PRICES.  This info is over two years old, so here’s hoping this is no longer a reliable source for people to find marijuana.

Police Scanner

1:13pm Coroner has been called.
1:14pm Lots of static.
1:14pm State patrol responding to something, probably a wreck.
1:16pm More static.
1:17pm Welfare check at a grocery store.  Officer responds he dropped off person at a gas station and person is now back at grocery store.  Dispatcher isn’t sure how she was able to get back to grocery store.
1:19pm Residence alarm.
1:25pm Two wrecks on I-20.
1:30pm Residential alarm.
1:35pm  More static.
1:36pm Officer checking to see if person is back at grocery store.
1:40pm Yet more static.
1:40pm Domestic problem.
1:43pm Someone’s been banned from Wal-Mart.
1:48pm Domestic problem.
1:51pm Vehicle accident.  Two vehicles involved.
1:55pm Vehicle accident, Thornton & I-20.  People called police, no one showed up.
2:02pm About 20-30 seconds of static.
2:08pm Improper parking at Wal-Mart–several vehicles.

Sheriff Miller, Despite Alleged Overcrowding, Did Not Request To Move State Inmates

ouglas County Jail: No Requests to Move Inmates by Sheriff Miller

Tax Group Calls for Investigation

Lithia Springs GA: Douglas County Taxpayers Coalition has leaned through an open records request that Sheriff Phil Miller has never made a written request to transfer state inmates from the county jail in 2009.

An open records request was made to the legal department of the Georgia Department of Corrections (DOC) for any correspondences from Sheriff Miller or his staff to the Department of Corrections concerning transfer of state inmates from the Douglas County jail, in 2009. According to a reply from Rhoda S. McCabe, Senior Assistant Counsel, “The Department has no records responsive to this request.”

“Included in your request were the following records; to wit, 2009 correspondence from Douglas County Sheriff Phil Miller or his staff concerning the emergency transfer of state inmates from the Douglas County Jail, including correspondence with the Commissioner of Corrections; and (2) 2009 correspondence with the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department concerning overcrowded conditions at the Douglas County Jail.” RSM

For the past 5 years Sheriff Miller has claimed there is an emergency situation at the jail due to overcrowding because the Department of Corrections will not pick up their inmates. There are no records from the sheriff’s office or DOC concerning an emergency situation or any request to remove the state inmates. According to GBI reports, there have been between 100-200 convicted state prisoners in the county jail on any given day.

James Bell, director of the Douglas County Taxpayers Coalition (DCTC) said the sheriff is deliberately housing state inmates to make the jail appear to be over capacity.

“We are calling for a state and federal investigation into this matter”, Bell said. “If there is an emergency at the jail there should be some documentation concerning this emergency, especially when there are claims of potential federal court intervention,” Bell continued.

Chief Deputy Stan Copeland stated that the sheriff’s office is not allowed to make written request for the transfer of state inmates.

Bell said he believes the Sheriff has used state inmates to full-up the county jail in an attempt to justify a proposed $150 million prison SPLOST/Bond on the November 3 ballot.

According to GBI reports, the sheriff changed the capacity number of the jail from 811 to 485. Bell said it appears this was an attempt to trick voters to believe the jail is over capacity.

“If there was an emergency and safety concerns (at the jail) why is there no documentation by his staff or the Department of Corrections concerning this matter”, Bell asked. “This is nothing but a hoax”.

Police Scanner

9:46pm Someone hit barrels on Stewart Mill near Reynolds and they’re all over the road.
9:48pm Something must have just happened–they just declared all units 10-8 (in service).
9:49pm Someone’s tag is expired.
9:51pm 10-28.  Person ran out of gas, dispatcher says.
9:56pm Someone through a rock through someone’s window.
9:59pm Mechanical breakdown.
10:08pm Wrecker needed for an accident.
10:09pm 911 open line.
10:09pm Intoxicated person at Checkers.
10:19pm Someone has been arrested.
10:24pm Suspicious vehicle or person.
10:24pm Someone just threw something at another person’s vehicle.
10:25pm Car repeatedly going up and down a road.
10:27pm Tractor trailer in fast lane dropped something out passenger door.
10:31pm Suspicious vehicle at a motel.
10:38pm Residence alarm.
10:39pm Dispute regarding a dog.
10:46pm Domestic problem reported.
10:48pm Someone locked their keys in their vehicle.
10:57pm Burglary occurred earlier.
10:59pm Deputy said “same tractor” instead of “same traffic”.  :>)
11:06pm Bank alarm.

 

Did DC Sheriff’s Department Create Mold Emergency?

Did Douglas County Sheriff’s Department Create Jail Mold Emergency?

Why did a leaky pipe cost taxpayers more than $305,000?

From Staff Reports: Douglas County Taxpayers Coalition

www.douglastaxes.com

Douglasville GA: On August 25, 2008, Chief Deputy Stan Copeland of the Douglas County Georgia Sheriff’s Department went before the board of commissioners seeking more than $300,000 for a temporary housing unit for 25 female inmates displaced by an alleged “mold emergency” in their jail dormitory.

Copeland said they discovered a leak in the ceiling, apparently coming from the kitchen above the dorm. He told the commissioners the concrete floor may have deteriorated and they could move the kitchen outside the jail for a cost of $1 million.

At their regular business meeting, the board of commissioners unanimously approved a temporary housing unit which was, a few months later, erected next to the jail at a cost of $305,232 for a three year lease.

On August 29, 2008, the Douglas County Sentinel newspaper reported the situation with a screaming headline, ‘Mold invades jail’.

Leaders of the Douglas County Taxpayers Coalition (DCTC), a taxpayers’ advocacy group, investigated the situation.  Douglas County Commissioner Mike Mulcare admitted to James Bell, director of DCTC, that county commissioners never inspected the jail to see what conditions actually existed before approving the $305,000 expenditure. A Sentinel reporter admitted to DCTC that he was not permitted to see the mold conditions at the jail and that he was told the room had been sealed off.

According to documents obtained by DCTC through the Georgia Open Records Act, the sheriff’s department did not attempt any clean up or repairs of the leak until after February 2009, leaving the dormitory ventilation system sealed for six months with cardboard and tape.

According to the inspection report conducted by the firm Conestoga-Rovers & Associates (CRA) on January 15, 2009, six months after the leak was detected, the inspectors observed a small leak from a drain pipe and a small puddle of standing water on the concrete floor of the dormitory.

Photos of the room show some water stains and some surface mold. This can be expected in a non-ventilated room sealed for six months with a leaky drain pipe and a puddle of water on the floor.

CRA’s recommendations, which cost taxpayers $3600, were to repair the pipe leak, replace the sheet rock and clean the affected areas of the dormitory with mild detergent, 10% bleach solution and a scrub brush.

James Bell, director of DCTC, believes the sheriff’s staff used the leaky pipe situation to create screaming headlines to justify the need for a new $150 million jail, which voters have rejected twice since 2006 in Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) referendums.

“Based on our investigation, we believe the sheriff and his staff concocted this alleged emergency to bolster their claim that a new jail is needed. Rather than taking action and making simple plumbing repairs, they waited six months to do anything”, Bell said. “We believe $305,000 could have been saved if the sheriff had taken action to correct a simple leak. A leaky pipe does not justify bulldozing the jail and spending $150 million to build a new one.”

The 1500 bed prison issue is once again on the November 3, 2009 SPLOST/Bond ballot for $150 million sales/use tax and a $120 million general obligation bond, plus interest.

The sheriff’s office has yet to show  requested records indicating repairs have been made.

Sheriff Miller should give county taxpayers an explanation why it took so long to inspect the room, fix a leak and clean the affected area, assuming repairs have been made.

Man Shot By DC Deputy Dies

From CBS46.com:

By Jennifer Mayerle, CBS Atlanta Reporter

AUSTELL, Ga. — A Douglas County sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a man who tried to hit him with his vehicle Monday afternoon, Sheriff Phil Miller said.

The shooting happened at Buck’s Pawn Shop at the intersection of Maxham Road at Thornton Road in Austell.

According to Miller, deputies responded at about 4:30 p.m. to a 911 call about a man who had climbed the fence of a storage facility, which is next door to shopping center where the store is located.

Miller said the deputies spotted the man getting into the car.

When they tried to stop him, Miller said the man tried to drive off and almost ran over one of the officers. Miller said the deputy shot four times into a black Chevrolet Malibu.

“One deputy is on one side of the car, one deputy is on the other. They tell the man to turn off his car. He then puts his car in drive and lunges at the officers. The officer falls down and the other officer fires at the defendant,” said Douglas County Sheriff Phil Miller.

Witnesses heard the deputies tell the man to stop.

“The officer kept calling him. I heard him six or seven times say, ‘Stop, stop, get out of your car.’ But there was no stopping,” said Moe Moazeni.

“He told him to stop, he told him like three times, ‘Stop, I’m telling you to stop, I’m telling you to stop,’ and pow, pow, pow,” said Wayne Sullivan.

The driver died at a local hospital early Monday evening. His name was not immediately released.

“It’s just real sad because the guy didn’t really look that old,” said Sullivan.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigations has been called to look into the shooting. The officers are on paid administrative leave until the investigation is complete, which is standard procedure.

“I don’t know if it was justifiable to shoot or not, but it was a pretty dangerous situation,” said Moazeni.