police

Georgia honors fallen police officers

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was on hand Tuesday at a ceremony honoring the state's fallen police officers. The Georgia Public Safety Memorial Committee, the Board of Public Safety, the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, and keynote speaker Governor Brian Kemp recognized and honored law enforcement officers who have died while on duty at the annual Georgia Public Safety Memorial Ceremony. The ceremony was held in the City of Forsyth at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center and recognized the officers who died while on duty in the previous two years as well as previous years’ honorees. In all, 29 officers…

Police chase with stolen vehicle turns deadly in Athens

ATHENS -- A 37-year-old man is dead after a police chase Thursday morning ended in gunshots. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, preliminary information indicates that at about 9:17 a.m., Athens-Clarke County Police officers attempted to stop a vehicle believed to be stolen out of Jackson County. Officers followed the vehicle until the driver, identified as Timothy Daniel Statham drove into a ditch in the area of Newton Bridge Road and Fritz Mar Lane in Athens. Police say Statham exited the vehicle and fled on foot into the nearby wooded area. There were no other occupants in the vehicle.…

Georgia lawmaker wants to stop cities and counties from defunding police

A bill aimed at preventing Georgia city and county governments from making deep cuts in the budgets of their local police agencies advanced in the Georgia House of Representatives Tuesday. Sponsored by state Rep. Houston Gaines, R-Athens, the bill would limit local governments from reducing funds for police by more than 5% over a 10-year span. It includes exemptions for smaller jurisdictions and for spending on equipment purchases. Gaines highlighted recent failed attempts by some Athens and Atlanta elected officials to slice millions of dollars from their police budgets amid protests over police brutality and racial injustice that swept across Georgia and…

Georgia man charged with impersonating a police officer

The Savannah Police Department and the Chatham County Police Department have filed charges against a man accused of impersonating a police officer. The Savannah Police Department arrested 34-year-old Donald Williams, Jr. on January 5 and charged him with Impersonating a Police Officer or Employee and Blue Light Restrictions on Vehicles. Both crimes are felonies. On January 6, the Chatham County Police Department took out warrants on Williams for an additional felony count each of Impersonating a Police Officer or Employee and Blue Light Restrictions on Vehicles. In recent weeks, both the Savannah and Chatham County Police Departments became aware of…

DeKalb County police officer killed in line of duty

A 22-year veteran of the DeKalb County Police Department died on duty Saturday morning. At about 9 a.m. Sergeant D. Mobley was struck while on the scene of an accident involving another DeKalb police officer. Mobley was transported to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries. "We cannot express how much we appreciate the Grady Hospital staff who treated our sergeant. "We thank the City of Atlanta Police Department, Georgia State Patrol, the Atlanta Fire Rescue, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and all of those who provided their support to the DeKalb County Police Department," the police department posted…

Georgia police officer charged with battery after excessive force investigation

COLUMBUS -- A Columbus Police Officer has been charged with battery after an investigation into excessive force during an arrest in October. On Friday, Sept. 18, the GBI arrested Columbus Police Officer Clayton Watkins and charged him with Battery and Violation of Oath of Office following an investigation of an allegation of excessive use of force. On Thursday, June 4, the GBI was asked by the Columbus Police Department to investigate an allegation of use of excessive force by Watkins during an arrest of Donnell Russell. According to the GBI, the investigation determined that on Oct. 18, Watkins and a…

Georgia Deputy shown in viral video placed on leave

In response to a viral video showing a Clayton County deputy using physical force against a man reported to be a Lyft passenger, Sheriff Victor Hill has ordered the deputy involved placed on administrative leave. Hill has also ordered a full internal affairs investigation into the incident. The entire internal affairs department has been called in for the investigation, according to Hill. The original post from Facebook by a woman who says she is the man's cousin is below. https://www.facebook.com/zipporad/posts/10158030205976312

Georgia is getting serious about police reform

Police training and tactics like chokeholds, no-knock warrants and rubber bullets for crowd control in Georgia will face scrutiny from a group of state lawmakers tasked with making reform recommendations for law enforcement agencies before year’s end. The Georgia Senate study committee looking at policing techniques and oversight comes after the General Assembly passed legislation outlawing hate crimes following testy debate in the 2020 legislative session between Republican and Democratic state senators. The study committee will assess the use of lethal force, training procedures, de-escalation techniques and “practices which may need to be prohibited or more strictly regulated” such as chokeholds, no-knock…