Some Get It & Some Don't. Unfortunate for those that don't including you. Keep your security blanket with you at night so you sleep well.

They are hard to spot and have engines that are quieter than a golf cart. It's easy to understand why it was mistaken as a golf cart.

Don't Spread My Wealth.... Spread My Work Ethic

Not to mention the front-end loader would have easily been waved through any PTC police checkpoints if all the occupants appeared to have been Caucasian....

*flame on!*

Everyone knows white people only direct the minorities on construction sites. And it's only Mexicans that actually do the work. So the thieves had to be Hispanic. See how easy this police work really is?

Don't Spread My Wealth.... Spread My Work Ethic

What do you propose as strategic positions? Constant helicopter surveillance? That would only last a few days because citizens would complain about the noise of the helicopter while they try to get sleep. Not to mention the fuel costs that would ultimately fall to the taxpayer.

Maybe we should get the state of Georgia to pass legislation mandating that all non-Peachtree City residents be fitted with sub-dermal GPS tracking devices that trigger an alarm anytime they are within a 2 mile radius of the city limits. That way officers can be ready to pounce on the people who only desire to contaminate your little bubble. We can make it a crime for any non-Peachtree City resident to enter the confines of the city limits. Residents of Fayetteville, Tyrone, and Newnan will all have to find other routes so as to avoid Peachtree City.

I also propose that officers run 24 hour checkpoints on all major arteries into the city. That way they can arrest anyone daring enough to carry a front end loader, have an out of state tag, be a non-resident, or drive a car manufactured before 2006.

With these policies in place, the police will finally be able to focus on the calls that actually matter: barking dogs and children playing outside.

Residents of Fayetteville, Tyrone, and Newnan will all have to find other routes so as to avoid Peachtree City.

Absolutely!!! That's why the bypass is needed around PTC not Fayetteville.

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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.

"Attention all units! I just saw a truck with a front end loader heading Northbound on Highway 74. Let's go get 'em!"

How would a unit parked at a "key strategic point" have helped in this case? Unless the theft of the front end loader or theft of the AT machine were witnessed, someone hauling a front end loader down the road isn't anything to raise suspicion.

The police can't be everywhere at once. Balancing safety vs. more police presence (and higher taxes!) is no easy task. Your comments are way off the mark here.

BMF,

I would say that it is you that is way off the mark! Many times I have seen PTC police parked at the old cable facility on 74 and thought that it was a good thing that the "GOOD GUYS" were sending a message to our "visitors" from Clayton and Fulton counties and how I wished that the FCSO would do the same. Since police visibility is a proven deterrent to crime, it would make sense to at least evaluate this tactic rather that let the bad guys time the police patrols to coordinate their strikes. A unit parked at this "key strategic point" would most assuredly have helped in this case.

Law Enforcement is a business - nothing more, nothing less, and like any business it can be run well or run poorly. While I consider the PTCPD the best run LE agency (and the FCSO the worst) in Fayette County, it is far from perfect. Harassment of teenagers, extremely unprofessional ranking officers, and political interference are just a few of the problems.

The FBI has finally admitted that “crime is spiking” (aw really) and yet the bulk of our “law enforcement” agencies continue to do business the same old way. LE can continue to “attack the messenger” (as you have) or it can wake up, push back from the donut bar, and adjust to meet the changing times.

All this less than a week after we are assured that Chief Clark sees no need for additional personel if bars stay open until 0200 hours.

Good See Someone Gets It! Key word "VISIBILITY." At 4AM it is not about being all over PTC patrolling instead being visible. Not many key roads that lead in and out of our city.
I am sure our police department gets my point. To me the rest don't matter, get it or not...

I would first like to say that your slamming the FCSO is uncalled for. This county as a whole remains one of the safest in the South Metro Area. That is a credit to ALL of the Law Enforcement Agencies in this county not just PTCPD. I was just wondering, when you write that a cop parked at this "key strategic point" are you referring to the bank, ATM, or empty stretch of highway that surrounds it. If your referring to the bank then you have to realize there are way too many of them in the city to watch each one all the time. Is Regions Bank more important than the rest? If your referring to the ATM I would assume that there are even more ATMs then there are banks. If your referring to the empty stretch of Highway that surrounds it then your crazy. What about all the small side streets that need patrolling, and what about the shopping centers and neighborhoods that still have an Entering Auto Suspect on the loose. I do agree with you on one thing. If a police officer was parked in front of the bank when the forklift rolled up I'm sure that it would have helped. These officers can't be everywhere at once. Oh, and one more thing, why would the police need additional people if the bars were to stay open an additional 2 hours on Saturday night. They don't get any help on Friday night. They run the same shift on Sat. that they have on Fri. If they need people it would be for every night not just Sat.

Biggis101, If you percieved my post to be a slam of the FCSO then first you should read the post a bit more care carefully, then you should listen to the residents of the county rather than your fellow officers. There was a time when the FCSO could claim the lion's share of the credit for keeping the county safe and rightfully so. That time is long, long past. Randal Johnson was sheriff in name only for most of his last eight years of office while Bruce Jorden ran roughshod and unchecked over the rank and file. It took Bruce's refusal to stop his war with the County Commission to finally "get him gone". Forget the bogus story about the baseball trip. Randal's sucessor is known (among residents) for breaking campaign promises immediately after his election more than anything else.

Strategic locations? Again read the post, I named one. And ... I stated that "it would make sense to at least evaluate this tactic rather that let the bad guys time the police patrols to coordinate their strikes".

As for staying open an additional 2 hours on Saturday night, again, read the post. The point was that Chief Clark thinks that the PTCPD is adequately manned. It possibly is if you use the same formulas that are used to calculate manpower in normal times. The times we live in are far from "normal"! But to answer your question; Two more hours of multi county power drinkers is a problem on any night of the week. The incident at the Red Room proved that. Please note that I did not cut the PTCPD any slack either.

Finally, I apologise if I hurt your feelings but as the man said; "I calls em like I sees em". As in all wars, it is the mistakes of the generals that lose battles and get people killed, not the actions of the ordinary grunt. Maybe you would see things differently if your business had lost $25K more than insurance covered and one of Brucie's detectives had declined to get off of his butt and run a set of fingerprints.

Any time you would like to discuss my rating system you can buy three cups of "doubleshot" Starbucks java (and whatever you would like to drink) and we'll sit for a while.

What is it you call yourself...MajorMike...

Perhaps Randall's biggest flaw was trusting people too much. Those who know him realize this. Bruce was a flawed character who ruled by intimidation and for years was able to surpress anyone he felt was a threat by misleading Randall. There was a time when Bruce was unbelievable in his ability to produce arrests and solve cases and then he began to believe his own hype.

The Sheriff's Office is running just fine. Exactly what promises did Sheriff Hannah break? None...

Chief Clark, Sheriff Hannah, Chief Heaton, and Chief Perkins get along great and for the 1st time since the "pre-Johnny Roberts" days all law ebforcement in Fayette County is actively working cooperatively together.

I saw a movie once and a quote from it seems to fit you; It goes like this--It must be pretty easy taking a shot from the cheap seats AJ (MajorMike) because it seems to me that you seem to do that really well, pretty well for someone who has never had to take the lead and make the hard decisions...

Proverbs 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.

MajorMike...let it go.

is the callous politics that he played since he was sworn in to office. The good ole boy promotion of the Mrs that he most likely coordinated is a start and the demotion of his rival, Babb, loss of the officer's proven service and expertise, removal to the jail and loss of 1/3 pay. There was no real reason to do this except to try to force an honorable officer out of the department. Is this how we want our county's sherriff's office to run? There is no defense to this except the "to the victor goes the spoils" brand of corruption. It stinks and I will campaign hard against him during the next election cycle. His rivals have my support, whomever they be.

I had thought our sheriff to be a better man than that. I can't emphasize how disappointed I am. Someone told me he threatened Babb with retaliation if he didn't drop out. I thought there is no way. These guys have more class and character than this. I was shocked to hear that Barry had been lead to the dungeon.

It does stink and now I trust Hannah about as far as I can throw him. Sadly....that's not very far. I hope the deputies don't fall into the same mold as their leader has.

Don't Spread My Wealth.... Spread My Work Ethic

Exactly what promises did Sheriff Hannah break? Perhaps you shoild ask that question of the sudden demotee and the sudden retiree. You sure do have a convient memory. Is this, among other things, your idea of running just fine? Why, because you wish it to be so?

Cheap shot? I gave reasons for my ratings, AND, offered to sit down and discuss said reasons. Cheap shot? You sir, from the shear arrogance and stupidity of your post, are the posterboy for cheap shot. If you are typical of what's in the FCSO these days, Fayette County is in more trouble than I thought.

You speak of fools - look in the mirror.

You, little boy, need to get over your hurt pride and try to act like a professional if thats not too much to ask. Thank you though for proving my point (at least partially) about the ranking of the different departments.

Let it go - is that a threat? Go for it fool. Do you really think I'm going to play a crooked game by someone elses rules.

MajorMike...let it go! You sound like the guys that complains about extended school zone hours.....after you got the ticket.

Had no tickets, never been arrested. Let it go? If you don't want to, or can't, support your position rationally, then I suggest that you "let it go". If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

By the way, the offer to sit and discuss still stands.

Well, they were on the scene in less than six minutes from when they were notified. Seriously, they can't be everywhere at once, and if you knew anything about what you were talking about, you would know that the PCPD is very pro-active. You want them to PARK rather than patrol? Then you really would have some issues! Unless you are willing to pay more taxes to have a whole lot more officers on the road?

This particular bank is located in such a way that it is not easily visible from Highway 74, and how many people do you think are driving down Kedron Dr at 4am?

I disagree with you about PTC being an easy place to hit... except for the current rash of entering autos... and that's mostly because stupid people leave their valuables in plain view inside their cars (doesn't make it right, but the bad guys don't usually bother the cars that don't have anything visible in them... unless the bad guys are stupid teens doing it just for the heck of it). You want an easy place to hit? Go to Clayton. Or Fulton. Or even Henry. But not PTC.

Eay fix just pay more taxes. How about getting more with what we currently pay in taxes? I would be willing to pay more taxes if needed but first get the right people running this city whom are interested in bettering PTC and not themselves! Then talk about taxes otherwise don't speak about what you have no knowledge about...

It isn't just the cops who need to be watching.

This should have looked suspicious to anyone who saw it. No matter how tired we are coming back from Buckhead I think my friends and I would have noticed this if we had seen it. We all have a responsibility to call 911 when we see things like this.