Wednesday, August 13, 2003
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Wednesday, August 13, 2003 |
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A new county police force? No way, say 2 officials By JOHN MUNFORD and By JOHN THOMPSON
Despite some rumors to the contrary, two county officials strongly deny there are any plans or intentions for making the Fayette County Marshal's Office into a de facto county police department. A study of one month's recent state court data shows no major increase in traffic arrests by uniformed marshals, who work for the county commission, not for the Fayette County Sheriff's Department. The examination shows that while the Fayette County Sheriff's Department cited 435 drivers in the past month for traffic-related offenses, the marshals ticketed only nine drivers. The marshal's office provides security at county properties and also enforces county ordinances, which includes writing citations for violating those ordinances. Traffic patrol is the job of the sheriff's department, but there are some instances in which a traffic stop is necessary, said Jack Krakeel, who supervises the marshal's department under the newly-created division of public safety for Fayette County. He has headed the county's Emergency Services for years, which includes firefighters and medics. "If they observe a traffic offense that endangers the public, then yes," a marshal will make a traffic stop, Krakeel said. "I don't want someone calling me and asking why we didn't prevent a tragedy." In such situations, stopping the person would be considered a duty and obligation of the marshals, who are all police officers certified by the state of Georgia, Krakeel added. "They're not patrolling out there looking for traffic violations," Krakeel said. "... If someone is crossing a double-yellow line on a curve or weaving erratically," the marshals will make a traffic stop to protect the public, Krakeel said. As for the idea that the county wants to create its own police department, Krakeel said he hasn't been told anything of the sort. "Nothing has been said to me with respect to creating a law enforcement police department," Krakeel said. A recent reorganization of the county staff put Krakeel in charge of the marshal's department, the 911 center, the department of fire and emergency services and the animal control department. After the reorganization, officials decided to issue new badges and patches with the "division of public safety" logo. The idea was to create a unity among all the departments under the division of public safety, Krakeel said. There were very few badges to hand out since most of the uniforms use the less-expensive patches, Krakeel added. The county did not order a brand-new set of uniforms, which also would have been expensive, Krakeel said. The departments under the division of public safety have been called upon to work together more under the county's homeland security program, Krakeel added. Krakeel said he was surprised the issue of the new badges and patches would lead to such a "degree of scrutiny." "It was just something we did for organizational unity," Krakeel said. County administrator Chris Cofty said the reorganization was done to make the county's business flow more efficiently. "I used to have to go through 28 separate reports from department heads," Cofty said. Early in the year, the county placed the departments under six divisions, including the division of public safety. "It certainly makes for easier meetings," Cofty added. The county administrator also disputed any notion that marshals were patrolling the county's roads with more zeal. "Their job description has not changed. They're enforcing the same laws they always have," he said. Since they are certified officers, though, they are able to enforce laws out of their jurisdiction, he said. "If they see a bank robbery in progress, they can help prevent it," he said. The marshal's department was an administrative creation of the county commission in the 1980s and operates under its authority. The sheriff's department, while primarily funded through the county commission, is headed by the sheriff, a position set up in the state's constitution and subject to public election every four years. Randall Johnson is the current Fayette sheriff, first elected in the 1970s.
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