News

NEWS ARCHIVE

March 21, 2008 - Jerome Davis dies at 73
Jerome Davis, 73, of Lavonia, died Friday, March 21, 2008. Services were
held Monday, March 24, 2008, at Strickland Funeral Home
Chapel. Survivors include wife, Carole Holland Davis; children,
Capt. Edward Bankston, Shari Davis, Ami Williams & Julie
Lee; sister, Mary Ellen Wright; seven grandchildren.

Davis served with DeKalb County Police from 1962 to 1989
and has remained an active member of the FOP. (photo to the
left was taken circa 1981)

January 23, 2008 - Barker and Bryant Laid to Rest
Hundreds of police officers, family, friends, and the public gathered Wednesday
to honor the lives of two DeKalb County police officers who were murdered
while working security at an apartment
complex on January 16.

A motorcade lead the procession from the funeral
home to New Birth Missionary Baptist Church
on Woodrow Road in Lithonia where the service
was held.
Many people also gathered Tuesday for a private
funeral for Officer Eric Barker. Barker leaves behind a wife and four children.
He also served in Army in Afghanistan before joining the DeKalb County Police
Department.

Officer Ricky Bryant will be laid to rest in his home state of New York.

DeKalb Chief Terrell Bolton said 26-year-old Bryant and 33-year-old Barker
were working as security guards at the Glenwood Gardens complex and investigating
a suspicious person when shots rang out on January 16.

December 1, 2007 - Joe Hill dies at 77
Joe Barnett Hill, Jr., 77, of Clarkston died Saturday, December 1, 2007.He was
born in Atlanta, Georgia to Joe Barnett Hill, Sr. and Myrtyce
Garner. Mr. Hill served his country in the U. S. Army during
the Korean Conflict. Joe retired from the DeKalb County Police
Department after 27 years of service. Surviving are his wife,
Carol Hill; sons, Dennis Hill, and David New; daughters,
Dianne Erwin, Dorothy Sexton, Donna New and Donna
Morgan; sixteen grandchildren; and six great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, December 5th at Clarkston United
Methodist Church with Rev. Robert White officiating. Interment followed at
Melwood Cemetery. Joe has been a member of DeKalb FOP since the Lodge
was chartered in 1970.

October 5, 2007 - Lt. Ronald Wright dies at 56
Ronald L. Wright, who retired from DeKalb County in 2003 after thirty years of
service, passed suddenly on Friday, October 5th.

Born in Spalding County to the late Iverson and Mary Watson Wright, he was
a retired lieutenant with the DeKalb County Police Department (Tucker Precinct),
a member of the DeKalb Fraternal Order of Police, and a member of First
Presbyterian Church, Clarkesville.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara Wright, Batesville; daughters, Lisa Wright,
Oakwood, Aimee Palmer, Clarkesville, and Rachel Tang, Duluth; son, David
Wright, Monroe; sisters, Jenny Jones, Snellville, and Jackie Christopher, Barnesville;
and six grandchildren.

August 15, 2007 - National FOP approves boycott of eBay
The 58th Biennial Fraternal Order of Police Conference has unanimously adopted a
resolution calling for a boycott of the online vendor, eBay. The resolution is in response
to eBay's continual allowance of sales of items bearing the FOP insignia and other
police identifiers and police related items.

"The Grand Lodge had repeatedly reached out to eBay to ban the sale of these items,
but the company has refused to do so. This total lack of regard for the safety of police
officers throughout the country led to the adoption of the resolution," Canterbury said.

Despite the fact that eBay allows the sale of FOP insignia, it does not allow the sale of
pilot's uniforms, postal uniforms, various military metals, and other items. In a letter to
eBay, National FOP General Counsel Larry James noted that in the past, law
enforcement officers have been killed due to an individual having FOP insignia's on
their cars, despite not being FOP members. eBay did not feel that this "anecdotal
incident" was worth changing their policy and rejected the FOP's request to remove
FOP insignia from being sold on their website, thus leading to the adoption of the
resolution.

The intent of the resolution is in part to convey the concerns and displeasure of the
law enforcement community with eBay's inability and indifference to recognize that
the sale of these items poses a threat to public safety.

July 17, 2007 - US House passes H.R. 980
By a stunning 314 - 97 vote, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 980,
the Public Safety Employer - Employee Cooperation Act of 2007. The bill calls for
states and their political subdivisions to engage in collective bargaining with public
safety officers. The FOP has long supported this bill and hopes it to soon be voted
on by the Senate. If passed by the Senate, the law would go into effect two years later.

Georgia's delegation was split on the issue. Representatives Barrow, Johnson, Bishop,
Marshall, and Scott favored the measure; while Linder, Deal, Kingston, Westmoreland,
and Gingrey opposed it. Lewis and Price did not vote on the bill.

Some Georgia government organizations have already expressed their displeasure with
the bill. The Georgia Municipal Association has already contacted Senators Chambliss
and Isakson trying to gain a 'no' vote. The Heritage Foundation has also expressed
disdain for the bill. The full text of the bill can be found by clicking here.

June 2, 2007 - FOP Brother Will Regan weds
On Saturday evening, the rain in Monroe held off long enough to see Officer Will
Regan of Madison PD (formerly Pine Lake PD) be wed to
his longtime sweetheart, Whitney. The ceremony was held at the
historic McDaniel-Tichenor House in Monroe. Connie Holt,
Chief Magistrate of Morgan County presided. Will has been
with the City of Madison since last year, but still keeps close
ties with his DeKalb brothers. Will and Whitney reside in their
new home in Morgan County. Will comments that this is proof
that "an ugly guy can still get an attractive woman."

May 5, 2007 - Brother Pete Mason passes at 72
James L. (Pete) Mason, age 72 of Covington, died Saturday, May 5, 2007. He
is survived by wife, Ruth Mason of Covington; sons, James Larry Mason III, Susan
Mason, Covington, Lee & Angie Mason, Covington; daughters, Lisa Mason Daniel &
Doug Holt, Covington, Lynn Mason Whitaker, Covington; sisters, Barbara Watkins,
Covington, Gloria Williamson, West Virginia; grandchildren, Amanda & Chuck
Skelton, James Larry Mason IV, Ryan & Bryan Daniel, Jake & Dane Mason;
great-grandchild, Bryant Skelton and several nieces and nephews.Pete was preceded
in death by great-grandchild, Kennedy Mason. He was a DeKalb County officer for
35 years and a member of the DeKalb Fraternal Order of Police. Funeral services
were held Monday, May 7, 2007 at Scot Ward's Harry White Chapel and interment
followed at Lawnwood in Covington.

April 30, 2007 - US Supreme Court backs deputy in Coweta chase case
In a surprising ruling, the US Supreme Court overturned lower federal courts and
sided with former Coweta Deputy Timothy Scott in a pursuit case from March 2001.
Scott pursued a speeder who then refused to stop. Speeds reached over 90 miles
per hour before Scott thought he'd ended the chase in a parking lot. The teenage
driver, Victor Harris, then hit Scott's patrol vehicle with his Cadillac to escape. After
being given authorization, Scott pitted the Cadillac in an effort to end the chase.
Harris' vehicle went over an embankment and crashed, leaving him a quadriplegic.
In the 8-1 ruling, the court ruled that Scott had taken reasonable steps and could not
be sued for his actions.

"We are loath to lay down a rule requiring the police to allow fleeing suspects to get
away whenever they drive so recklessly that they put other people's lives at risk.
Instead, we lay down a more sensible rule: A police officer's attempt to terminate a
dangerous high-speed car chase that threatens the lives of innocent bystanders does
not violate the Fourth Amendment, even when it places the fleeing motorist at risk of
serious injury or death,'' Justice Antonin Scalia said of the case.

It is yet unclear how the Supreme Court's ruling will affect local chase policies
considering officers may now have additional legal protection.

February 21, 2007 - Brother Mac McGlamery passes
Wendell Claude "Mac" McGlamery, a 30-year veteran of the DeKalb Police
Department, lost his battle with an inoperable brain tumor early on Wednesday
morning, February 21, 2007. He was 66. After serving a
six year stint in the Army, Mac began his career with DeKalb
Police in 1966 and retired as a Lieutenant in 1996. He also
served as Chief of Pine Lake Police from 1997 to 1999.
Mac was laid to rest on Saturday morning, February 24th,
at First Baptist Church in Conyers.

February 8, 2007 - National FOP Headquarters Opens in Nashville
National President Chuck Canterbury welcomed members from across
the nation to the dedication of the new national headquarters located in
Nashville, TN. Named in honor of two past National Secretaries,
Jerry W. Atnip and Charles R. Orms, the center is the Grand Lodge's
first permanent location. Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell was on hand to
show the city's gratitude to the FOP. DeKalb Lodge #10 had four
representatives at the event. Click for pictures.

December 12, 2006 - 2007 Executive Board named
The Executive Board for 2007 was named at the December 12th meeting. They are as follows:
        President - Sergeant Tom Reiner, DeKalb County Police
        First Vice President - Sergeant Bob deGraaf, DeKalb County Police
        Second Vice President - Sergeant Leigh Vaughn, Emory University Police
        Treasurer - Officer Jeff Wiggs, DeKalb County Police
        Secretary - Officer Bob Hillis, Stone Mountain Police
        Sergeant-at-Arms - Ric Palmer, DeKalb County Police, retired
        Sergeant-at-Arms - Paul Taylor, Forsyth County Sheriff's Office (DKPD, retired)

November 7, 2006 - Four of six FOP endorsees win races.
   Casey Cagle, Kevin Levitas, Thurbert Baker, and Ronald Ramsey have all won
their respective offices by comfortable margins. Shawn LaGrua and Mike Wiggins
were unable to overcome their opposition.
   Casey Cagle (R) is set to take the Lieutenant Governor's office in January,
replacing Mark Taylor, who lost his bid for Governor against incumbent
Sonny Perdue. Cagle easily avoided a runoff against Jim Martin (D) and Allen
Buckley (L).
   Kevin Levitas (D) won the race for State House District 82 against Republican
Steve Schultz. Levitas is a former prosecutor in DeKalb County.
   Thurbert Baker (D), Georgia's popular incumbent Attorney General, easily beat
out a challenge from Republican Perry Mcguire.
   Ronald Ramsey (D), a Stone Mountain Municipal Court Judge, devastated his
challenger Willie Hinton (R).
   Despite huge support from law enforcement and judicial officials, DeKalb
Solicitor Shawn Ellen LaGrua (R) lost her bid for reelection to Democrat Robert
James. LaGrua was appointed when then Solicitor Gwen Keyes Fleming
became DeKalb's District Attorney.
   Mike Wiggins, who held several positions with the U.S. Department of Justice,
lost his bid to unseat Carol Hunstein for Georgia State Supreme Court Justice.
Hunstein is criticized for judicial activism and has been denounced by citizens
across the political spectrum.
   Georgia voters approved the statewide referendum which provides a
homestead exemption for the unremarried survivor of a police officer or fire-
fighter killed in the line of duty.

October 19, 2006 - Lt. Governor candidate Cagle speaks to FOP
Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle spoke to
a crowd of FOP members from
around the State at a cookout held
at the DeKalb Lodge. Cagle is
endorsed by the Fraternal Order
of Police in his race against Democrat
Jim Martin. Cagle spoke briefly
about his platform and his support
of the law enforcement community.
For more information about Cagle,
visit his campaign website at
www.caseycagle.com.

October 11, 2006 - Debi Palmer elected to County Pension Board
DeKalb County employees have elected Debi Palmer to serve on it's
Pension Board. She plans to serve all the employees of DeKalb, but also
ensure the specific needs of Public Safety get the needed attention.

October 5, 2006 - Stone Mountain honors Debi Palmer
The Mayor and City Council of Stone Mountain recognized the service of
Debi Palmer, a 29-year veteran
of DeKalb Public Safety, by
naming her an honorary officer
of the Stone Mountain Police.
Debi has been and remains
instrumental in making sure
Stone Mountain and other
municipalities have efficient
communications via vehicle
laptops to the County's
Communications Center. By
her efforts, all officers in
DeKalb County work in a safer environment, ensuring a rapid flow of
information to its officers. Pictured (l to r) are Stone Mountain's Lieutenant
S.E. Manning, Debi Palmer, and DeKalb Interim Chief Nicolas Marinelli.

October 3, 2006 - DeKalb FOP blasts AJC article
On October 3rd, members of Lodge #10 released a statement responding
to September 30th's Atlanta Journal-Constitution article titled 'Police shootings
surge in DeKalb.' The purpose of the response was to debunk several
assertions made by the writers and those interviewed. For more, click here.

September 25, 2006 - DeKalb FOP Golf Tournament a success
Despite a lighter than expected turnout, this year's golf tournament
yielded around $1700 for FOP programs. The event was held at
Snellville's Summit Chase Country Club.

July 11, 2006 - DeKalb FOP Hosts District 4 Contenders
    The DeKalb County Fraternal Order of Police hosted the three candidates
challenging controversial Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. The candidates
were given the opportunity to give a short speech and fielded questions from
those in attendance. All the candidates vowed to restore respect and dignity to
the office.
    Catherine Davis (R), who is unopposed in the Republican primary, spoke
in favor the Congressman John Linder's Fair Tax proposal, which appeared
to be a popular concept to the FOP membership. She also spoke in favor
of national defense and private property protection.
    Hank Johnson (D), a primary opponent of McKinney, touted his experience
as a criminal defense attorney and his relationship to the public. He has most
recently served as a DeKalb County Commissioner. Johnson committed to
study the Fair Tax proposal if elected.
    John Coyne (D), another primary opponent of McKinney, favors a national
healthcare plan financed with a consumption-style tax. He also favors a
minimum wage increase and is mostly opposed to the Fair Tax plan. He
supports education reform that would hold students more accountable, by
mandating graduation and eliminating G.E.D.'s.

June 29, 2006 - Officer Killed by Louisiana Murder Suspect
DeKalb County Police Detective Dennis Stepnowski was killed while investigating
a suspicious person at Mountain Crest Apartments at N. Hairston Road at Central
Drive. The perpetrator, Lucas Palmer, was shot by another officer and died on the scene.
He was wanted for murder in the State of Louisiana.
Detective Stepnowski, 33, was a 12-year veteran
of DeKalb County Police and a member of the SWAT
team. A procession leaves DeKalb County Police
Headquarters at 11:15am on Monday, July 3, 2006.
His funeral follows at the First Baptist Church,
4400 N. Peachtree Road in Atlanta at noon.