Fayette | News

Sheriff counting ‘extra’ cars, cellphones

Tue, 01/27/2009 - 5:05pm
By: John Munford

An inventory of items owned by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office has turned up some irregularities, new Sheriff Wayne Hannah told county commissioners last week.

Turns out the patrol division has two cars that aren’t assigned to anybody and are not the division’s “spare” cars, Hannah said.

To adjust for that, Hannah has reduced the department’s vehicle replacement request by two, he said.

Also sheriff’s officials found that the patrol division had a number of cellphones that were not issued to any employees, though the department was still paying for them, Hannah said.

The next day, sheriff’s officials negotiated a new contract with Nextel to adjust the details to the department’s current needs, Hannah said.

Hannah said the phones, which had service but were unassigned to personnel, were found at the sheriff’s office and accounted for.

Hannah, who has said he wants his office to be accountable to the public, said the cellphone and car issues are ones that must be addressed.

For example, last year the patrol division asked for six replacement vehicles from the county without identifying which patrol vehicles were being replaced, Hannah said. The county has a policy that requires law enforcement vehicles to be replaced after 100,000 miles.

Hannah said the sheriff’s office is determining a concrete number of how many employees have take-home vehicles. County finance officials said that eliminating the take-home vehicle program countywide would save an estimated $372,000 a year.

Currently sheriff’s officials who live within a 20-mile radius outside the county are allowed to take their vehicles home, Hannah said. Previously the employees had to live within a range of five miles outside the county, he added.

“We’re compiling the numbers to see what we have and where it’s going,” Hannah said.

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Who cares what other counties do?
Submitted by jps on Wed, 01/28/2009 - 1:20pm.

I live in Fayette County, not any of these other places some of you are speaking of. I'm getting tired of these people spending my tax dollars on crap like this. Maybe if these "PUBLIC SERVANTS" could make me feel safe in The Pavillion they would deserve a "take home car". The economy of today no longer allows for such wasteful spending. Stop wasting money on such un-reliable cars...100,000 miles and it has to be replaced? are you serious? I own a Acura Integra which I drive just as hard if not harder than FC sheriffs do. STOP THROWING MY HARD EARNED MONEY AROUND LIKE YOU ARE PLAYING MONOPOLY!!!!!!!

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we care
Submitted by Money minder on Tue, 02/03/2009 - 11:14am.

It wouldn't hurt to take away those $50,000 vehicles the fire dept. employees take home with them too. Since there is usually one person in them, put them in a PT Cruiser for $18,000.
That would save money on gas, insurance, graphics,(half the size) and maintaince.

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jps
Submitted by iDidntDoit on Wed, 01/28/2009 - 2:38pm.

Have you bothered reading the article about the robber being nabbed red handed? Read it and then tell us that our PUBLIC SERVANTS aren't protecting and serving! Ask that homeowner that was probably terrified out of her witts if she wasn't protected and served.

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Wow...
Submitted by jps on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 8:11pm.

good job on getting one person...and the several other i'm sure they have caught. But ask yourself how many more people aren't caught.

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Carrying Concealed.. Makes you feel safer
S. Lindsey's picture
Submitted by S. Lindsey on Wed, 01/28/2009 - 1:25pm.

Get a permit and start packing... Learn how to use, carry and be proficent in the use.. When the punks get in your face wanting your money give then .20 cents worth of lead and copper.. 1 down and oh so many more to go...


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Already have...
Submitted by jps on Wed, 01/28/2009 - 2:26pm.

I already have a concealed carry permit and a Glock 17. Thats not the point here... The people we are paying to protect us need to be doing that. Also, what good is a gun when im in Best Buy and my car gets broken in to?

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Carry it in with you ..jps
S. Lindsey's picture
Submitted by S. Lindsey on Wed, 01/28/2009 - 9:23pm.

I do.. It goes where I go.. Never leave home without it..


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I sooo like your thinking
Submitted by Insayn on Wed, 01/28/2009 - 2:09pm.

I sooo like your thinking

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Concealed Carry
Submitted by mthom5436 on Wed, 01/28/2009 - 2:27pm.

I recently got my carry permit and I have been having trouble finding resources on the rules and regulations. Does anyone have any suggestions? Also, is there a gun range in Newnan?

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There's one in grantville
Submitted by Insayn on Wed, 01/28/2009 - 2:48pm.

There's one in grantville and one in Fayetteville.

go here:

http://www.georgiapacking.org/law.php

just make sure you practice with the gun and practice gun safety. it doesnt do any good to have it if you dont know how/when/where to use it.

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Need a sheriff
Submitted by Fayettesgone on Tue, 01/27/2009 - 9:12pm.

Besides the fact that the inventory is required by law, at least he is keeping track of the items, he found two cars, thats two less cars they will have to order, more money to go towards personnel. Would you rather have equipment floating everywhere and unaccounted for therefore having to order more and spend more money, or be able to keep deputies on the road and not have to cut employees, because all the equipment is kept up with?

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Found some cars???
Submitted by Bonkers on Wed, 01/28/2009 - 7:50am.

What kind of joke is this?

Found some cars!

Next thing you know they will find some LT.s, captains, majors, chiefs, High Sheriffs (isn't that what they call them here?)

Found some cars, huh!

Were they rusted up?

Won't day drivers drive night drivers cars?

NYC cabs companies run em around the clock (those Fords and Chevys will do it if maintained).
I don't want to hear about a car sitting in a home garage or outside a house preventing crime! BS.

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Some people...
Submitted by Insayn on Wed, 01/28/2009 - 2:07pm.

Some people on here have something to say about everything. Me thinks it wise to avoid ones who know everything, they usually know little.

Bonkers, If you want to change something why don't you shut up and change something. Run for Public office or run for sheriff or become a police officer or fire fighter and rise to the rank of chief or become school superintendent. Then, when you've obtained one of these positions, you can make all the changes you want.

I would worry less about the "Civil Servants" that you seem to hate so much, wonder why that is, and more about the %65 of your tax money going to the FCBOE who seem to think that you arn't paying enough to them.

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What is the focus?
Submitted by anonym on Tue, 01/27/2009 - 8:29pm.

Seems to me that the new sheriff is more concerned with counting cell phones than getting a handle on crime. We need a sheriff, not an accountant with a badge.

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SAVING MONEY???
Submitted by ROSEBUD on Tue, 01/27/2009 - 8:16pm.

WHY DID THEY HAVE ALL OF THE PROMOTIONS IN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE THIS MONTH INCLUDING THE SHERIFF HIMSELF......AND NOW WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT CUTBACKS AND WAY TO SAVE MONEY ....YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!

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Take Home Cars
Gene61's picture
Submitted by Gene61 on Tue, 01/27/2009 - 6:29pm.

Most depts through out the nation allow deputies to take home their cars at the end of a shift. Most have the requiremrnt that once said deputy enters the car for his/her shift when leaving home, he is "on duty", and notifies dispatch. This practice stops law enforcement/ and zones from having GAPS in coverage while a shift change is on going.

The 20 mile range is also standard in most departments. Departments usually have SOP's for how and when the deputy can use the car when he or she off duty, that may include documenting mileage and limiting off duty miles for the vehicle. The 100,000 mile requirement might be one area that can be changed. As a car ages, the operating cost go up for man hours vs operating cost of the vehicle.


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Deputies on Duty
Submitted by Fayettesgone on Tue, 01/27/2009 - 6:45pm.

Some departments work like how WD3246 stated about when Deputies get into their cars they notify dispatch and come on duty. However, FCSO is not like. A 20 mile radius from the county line is quit a gracious amount. Look at other departments, like Clayton County PD, they do not have take home cars unless you are in a special unit. The plus side to take home cars is the wear and tear is not as extreme, because the thought is if it is your car and assigned to you, you would take better care of it then, if you had to load your gear in and out with each shift. Henry County SO has take home cars if you live in the county, if you live out of the county you can park on the county line on county property.

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