September open comments

August open comments

July update

As we all know morale is still in the tank and nothing to this point has been done to fix the issues facing the police department.  That being said, there are folks fighting to change that.  I learned yesterday of a meeting that took place between the chief's office and a group of concerned officers from the department.  The chief continues to push for much needed equipment and better pay for our officers.  As has been stated in the news, take home cars are included in the SPLOST list for now.  That's always subject to change however the word is four of our commissioners are in favor of keeping the cars on the list.  While this is a step in the right direction they should start looking for other ways to fund the program without being dependent on SPLOST passing to implement the program.  I'm told the chief is also pushing for educational incentives, shift differential, and tweaking the mandate program to better suit the needs of the department.

An officer submitted an idea the other day while in conversation about ways to change the fate of the police department.  The idea was called a stop-gap measure.  Dekalb PD used this tactic last year with its officers and after hearing the idea it could work if implemented the right way.  It works by giving the officer a lump sum one time payment, i.e. $5000, to stay with the department for one year. That puts money in the officers pocket now and gives the department time to implement more permanent measures to keep the employee at the end of the one year commitment.  This seems like a potentially great program if you can do it the right way.  Rather than giving the lump sum payment based on a percentage of an officers base salary, you keep the amount the same for each officer in the department.  Again I think this is a good idea if you can get a commitment from county leaders to continue to invest in public safety during that year.

The bottom line is we need something to happen now.  Not four to six months down the road.  Our situation worsens daily.  You can say your concerned about public safety all day long but at the end of the day your judged by your actions not your words.  Let's see some action and put cobb back to the front.

Stay safe.

July open comments

Favoritism by the Board of Commissioners

For as long as I can remember the taxpayers in Cobb have been footing the bill for the East Cobber Magazine's annual parade.  For those that are not aware, this parade is held annually in East Cobb of course on Johnson Ferry Road.  Unlike any other parade in Cobb, this parade is done with ON DUTY police personnel as well as ON DUTY Fire and DOT personnel.  All other parades in Cobb are required to adhere to the county ordinance in relation to parades (see cobb ordinance 118-273).  The East Cobber parade not only violates the ordinance every year but it operates the parade at no cost to the owner for county employees appointed to the parade.  With any other parade in Cobb, police officers are hired by the entity wishing to conduct the parade for security, traffic control, or road closures etc.  The East Cobber parade takes around 40 police officers away from their normal duties for this event.  Don't forget the road closure on Johnson Ferry Road either.  That inconveniences thousands of cars along that route for several hours, again at no cost to the East Cobber Magazine.  Numbers have been calculated and presented to the East Cobber Magazine denying the permit in years past due to the high cost to the taxpayers and the rampant disregard for the county ordinance.  It cost Cobb County over $13,000 a year to supply manpower and resources to this private entities parade.  When the parade permit gets denied guess what happens.  That's right folks, the Cobb Board of Commissioners approve the parade anyway.  And you always see one or two commissioners riding in the parade on the back of a convertible waving to the taxpayers that so graciously are paying for said parade.

So how is it that one entity can get free services from the county commissioners and violate the parade ordinance year after year while others are held to the fire in compliance and have to pay for their parade costs?  The answer I guess "its the cobb way"

June open comments

What does it mean to support public safety?

Something has been eating at me for a week or so and I wonder what everyone else thinks…

A week or two ago I responded to a fire in Kennesaw off North Roberts Rd. The Fire Dept had their trucks and equipment in the road and requested Police assistance directing traffic. I noticed one of the businesses located in the same office complex as the fire was Loud Security. But, what I really noticed was that every Loud Security company vehicle had a blue line sticker, blue line tag and on some both.  So I asked around about Loud Security, what I was told is that the owner John Loud is a big time police supporter.  My next question was how so? Well… he puts the blue line stickers and tags on his company vehicles to show support. But what does that really mean? It means he’s pro police!!!  EVERONE is pro police when it benefits them!!!  But what does he do for the “police”? Maybe he makes a donation to some police nonprofit group that calls his office every year. Maybe his business donates money to a police benefit motorcycle ride or maybe he donates to the civic group that feeds the zone officers during Christmas. OR maybe he does it all!! But what’s obvious is he wants everyone to think he’s pro police by putting stickers and tags on his vehicles.  

Here is the rub… do stickers, tags and donations make a company really pro police?

If Mr. Loud and his family were in need of police services in an emergency or non-emergency situation he knows that the Cobb County Police officers will be there, will be professional, and if necessary the officers would risk their lives to protect him and his family.

What about when the Cobb County Police Dept needs Help? John Loud is a very successful and influential businessman in the Cobb Community. Mr. Loud is a big supporter of the Braves coming to Cobb.  Mr. Loud is an influential member of the Cobb Chamber and is the money behind some of the Cobb Commissioners campaigns.   

The Cobb County Police is in crisis… We’re losing officers at an alarming rate. Police moral is the worst I’ve ever seen.  ThePolice Dept has been neglected for years and it has finally caught up with the county. Now the Commissioners are behind the eight ball and have found themselves in a world of poop.  It’s no secret … most of the campaigns are running on Public Safety issues.  

Mr. Loud, there is no 911 for us. So I’m calling you out… you and other local businessmen and women that stand to gain big from the Braves coming to Cobb.  I’m calling you and others like you that profess to be police/public safety supporters to stand up and help us.  We need you NOW!!  And you and others like you know it.

SO… you want to be known as a police supporter? Do you want the support of the police officers? Then don’t just put stickers and tags on company vehicles and make a few donations. Take a few minutes and come to the next County Commission meeting and publicly tell the Commissioners to get off the counties check book and correct the issues running the police dept and theofficer’s moral in the toilet. This County is WEALTHY and the Cobb County Police once was a priority.