Newsline July 2013

METRO POLICE
The Official Newsletter of the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department
Volume 1, Issue 2
July 24, 2013
Inside this issue:
Meet Metro’s Part-time
Arson Investigators
3
Mr. Perry Marks 50 Yrs. 4
“Years of Service”
Awards Ceremony
5
Precinct 3 Rolls Out “Roll 6
Call in the Street”
Officers Shine in 200
Club’s Savannah Mile
8
Officers Engage Youth in 10
Summer Activities
Metro Atta Boys
15
Willie C. Lovett
Chief of Police
Savannah-Chatham Metro P.D.
201 Habersham Street
Savannah, GA 31401
www.scmpd.org
Chief Promotes 22 Officers
at Formal Ceremony
P
olice Chief Willie
Lovett promoted 22
sergeants and three
lieutenants in a formal ceremony on June 21.
Hundreds of fellow officers,
family members and friends
gathered at the Savannah
Civic Center for the promotion ceremony.
Keynote speaker, District
Attorney Meg Heap, reminded the officers they
had been recognized by
their chief and command
staff as leaders in the department with the ability to
perform at higher levels
and challenged them to
fulfill the leadership roles. Above: Sgt. Sean Carr was pinned by his three daughters and received his promotion certificate from Chief Willie Lovett.
Photo by: Julian Miller
Chief Lovett told the officers and their family how
derson, Rodney Reynolds, Chris Talley, Stephen
the promotion would change their jobs and their Eaton, Joe Lewis, Bill Sharpley, Maurice Sandlives and carry with it additional responsibilities, ers, Eric Dukarski, Sylvester Fann and Yujean
but the chief was confident they would rise to
Foster.
the challenge.
“Being promoted means, to me, that hard work
Chief Lovett promoted Daniel Flood, Gregory
and dedication pays off,” said Sgt. Tiffany
Ernst and Billy Cunningham to lieutenant.
Manuel. “There are new responsibilities and
Lt. Ernst went from K-9 to the West Chatham
challenges that await each of us, and with
precinct. “Being promoted has given me a
these new positions we must rise to the occachance to experience and take on new responsion. This is an opportunity to help teach and
sibilities,” he said. “I have been placed in a
develop the next group of officers and to help
position that allows me to see the operations of
show them the best and most efficient way of
the department in a different light. I am also
policing,” she added.
hoping that my time in Special Operations, with
Sgt. Shamonica Badie said, “This was a very
the contacts I have made with other agencies,
important life achievement. From being inwill benefit the precinct and the department.”
volved in a severe life changing, work related
Promoted to the rank of sergeant were Shinita
accident and to recover is a tremendous blessYoung, Brad Beddow, Kevin Elleby, Octavio
ing. I returned to work and put my all into my
Arango, Jeff Oliver, Shamonica Badie, Marcus
career. This promotion to me shows that hard
Graves, Sean Carr, Tiffany Manuel, Aaron
work and perseverance pays off.”
Washington, Tarik Wilson, Tim Lewis, Eric HenArticle by: Michelle Gavin
Page 2
Metro Police Newsline
Left: Chief Willie Lovett
poses with his 22 new
sergeants following the
promotion ceremony in
the Civic Center Ballroom.
Below: Chief Lovett
recognized his three new
lieutenants Billy Cunningham, Daniel Flood and
Greg Ernst at the ceremony on June 21.
Photos by: Doug Currie
Photography
SCMPD
Promotion
Ceremony
Above: The Metro Police Honor Guard posted the colors in front of the large crowd to
start the ceremony. Photo by: Julian Miller
Middle Right: Sgt. Shinita Young was pinned by her parents on stage with Chief Lovett.
Photo by: Doug Currie Photography.
Lower Right: Sgt. Jeff Oliver was congratulated by his father, former CCPD Chief and
SCMPD Major Bob Oliver. Photo by: Michelle Gavin
Page 3
Volume 1, Issue 2
Police Fire Up Part-time Arson Unit
D
etectives Mike Delatorre and
Nathan Kirkland are filling a
serious void for the Metro
Police Department.
They are the first two officers to
receive training as arson investigators. They now investigate all suspicious fires and known arsons in unincorporated Chatham County.
The Savannah Fire Department handles all the arson within the city
limits. And since the Southside Fire
Department is a private entity, they
cannot investigate and prosecute
criminal cases of arson.
“Since the SCMPD did not have any
certified arson investigators, Chief
Lovett put into motion the creation
of this part time unit.,” said Sgt.
Jeremy Henry.
Sgt. Henry is the Financial Crimes
Unit supervisor and is overseeing
the arson unit.
“Currently the unincorporated areas
of Chatham County relies on the
services of the Georgia State Fire
Marshal to conduct arson investigations. The Georgia Fire Marshal
for this region is responsible for 20
counties,” Sgt. Henry added.
That means sometimes it sometimes
takes a while for the state fire marshal to start investigating intentionally set fires in Chatham County.
Det. Kirkland is the first
member of the unit to
complete his Arson Investigation Certification. He is
also a full-time Financial
Crimes detective.
“It’s a lot of science, a lot
of physics, it’s really
cool,” Det. Kirkland said.
“It’s something different.”
So far he has been instrumental in two local arson
cases. He arrested a
juvenile for burglarizing
two mobile homes and
setting fire to the homes
to conceal the crimes.
Above: Metro Police detectives Mike Delatorre and Nathan Kirkland are the
On the second arson case first two members of the department’s Arson Unit. They recently solved an
arson case in the Pinpoint neighborhood in unincorporated Chatham County
Det. Kirkland and Det.
Photo by : Michelle Gavin
Delatorre solved an arson which landed two men in jail.
in the Pinpoint Road
neighborhood. Det.
Delatorre arrested Eric Taylor and
Shawn Green for that crime in June.
“Arson investigations are very interesting,” said Det. Delatorre. “This is
something that will challenge me.”
Sgt. Henry said this part-time arson
unit is mutually beneficial for the
department and the community.
“Responsibility and accountability
will be greater,” Sgt. Henry said.
Article by: Michelle Gavin
In early June detectives arrested Eric Taylor (left) and Shawn
Green (right) for setting fire to a home on Pinpoint Road.
Important Upcoming Dates
 Webster University is now
offering police officers and first
responders a lower tuition rate.
 Webster University offers many
programs including MBA and
MA in Human Resources
Management, Management and
Leadership, Business and
Organizational Management
and IT Management.
www.webster.edu/Georgia

July 26th—Badge Pinning ceremony at SCMPD
Headquarters Squad Room at 12:30 p.m.

August 6th—National Night Out

September 11th—Community Heroes Golf Tournament and
Raffle at The Club at Savannah Harbor. 1:00 p.m. shotgun.
For more information go to www.twohundredclub.org

September 12th—Fall Citizens Police Academy begins
Page 4
Metro Police Newsline
Perry Marks
50 Years as
Policeman
F
orty-two police officers and civilians were honored on July 9
for their years of service with the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department.
Cpl. Clifford Perry, Jr. (Mr. Perry) stole the show as he marked 50
years of service as a police officer in Savannah.
The crowd of more than 200 officers and guests gave Mr. Perry a
standing ovation as he and his wife Adriene were called to the
stage in the Civic Center Ballroom.
Above: Chatham
County Commission Vice Chair Dr.
Priscilla Thomas
placed a gold
medallion around
Mr. Perry’s neck.
Left: Retired Lt.
John White told
several stories
about his time as
Mr. Perry’s training
officer.
Mr. Perry began his career in 1963 and is currently a Financial
Crimes investigator.
SCMPD Majors Julie Tolbert, James Barnwell, Richard Zapal and
Larry Branson presented Mr. Perry with a shadow box and certificate. Mayor Pro-Tem Van Johnson read a proclamation in Mr.
Perry’s honor and Chatham County Commission Vice Chair Dr.
Priscilla Thomas placed a gold medallion around Mr. Perry’s neck.
It all came as a complete surprise. “It kind of got to me a little bit,”
Mr. Perry said. “I thought it was wonderful. I call it ‘my day’.”
Retired Deputy Chief William Lyght and Retired Lt.
John White shared stories about Mr. Perry. Lyght
said, “He’s a policeman’s policeman, he’s a man’s
man.”
Lt. White, one of Savannah’s original nine black policemen, was Mr. Perry’s training officer. He recalled
riding with him on his first day on the job. They heard
a woman scream but when they got closer they realized she wasn’t being harmed, she was having a baby. “He had never seen anything like before,” said Lt.
White.
Mr. Perry said his former colleagues didn’t roast him
too bad. “Besides, I had my family there for backup,”
he said.
More than forty members of Mr. Perry’s family attended the event, including his five children and three
dozen grand and great-grand children.
Mr. Perry’s advise for having such a long and happy
career as a policeman, “Treat the public and your coworkers the way you would want to be treated. Put
yourself in their shoes.”
County commissioners Helen Stone and Tony Center
Above: Metro Police majors Larry Branson, Richard Zapal, Julie Tolbert and James Barnalso attended the event, along with County Manager well presented Cpl. Clifford Perry, Jr. and his wife with a shadow box and many other gifts.
Russ Abolt and City Manager Stephanie Cutter.
Photos Courtesy of: Doug Currie Photography
Article by: Michelle Gavin
Page 5
Volume 1, Issue 2
Optimist Club Honors Top Cops
Left: On June 26 the Southside Optimist Club honored three of
the SCMPD’s finest officers at their annual awards luncheon at
the Hilton Garden Inn in Savannah.
The Optimist Club presented the SCMPD “Officer of the Year”
award to Sgt. Brad Beddow. The SCMPD “Investigator of the
Year” award went to Detective Mike Delatorre and CNT’s David
Arbizo was named “Agent of the Year”.
Sgt. Beddow joined the department 14 years ago and is current
assigned to the Traffic Unit and is a member of the SWAT Team.
Det. Delatorre joined the department 13 years ago and is a
precinct detective for the West Chatham Precinct.
Agent David Arbizo joined the department 10 and is assigned to
the Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team.
Photo by: Michelle Gavin
Employees Applauded for
Reaching Career Milestones
F
or the second time this year, officers
and civilians were honored for their
“years of service” with a ceremony
at the Civic Center.
On July 9, Capt. Carl Ramey and Sgt.
Joseph Wright received their 30-year
service pins. Capt. Kerry Thomas was
honored for serving 25 years. Twentyyear service pins were presented to Sgt.
LaPrentice Mayes, SCpl. Diane Williams,
APO Roy Ricardo and APO Mike Ramsey.
Fifteen year service pins were awarded to
Sgt. Yujean Foster, Ptl. Marilyn Anderson,
Cora Garman, Cheryl Jones, and Shondia
Ward.
Thirteen individuals were honored for their
10 years of service: Sgt. Cameron Kovach, APO David Arbizo, APO Bryan
Carelock, APO Rodney Cooper, APO Corey Cotton, APO Kenneth Leach, APO Carl
Meadows, APO Jeffrey Mikloucich, APO
Christina Windsor, Ptl. Jorge Tupac, Mr.
Luisander Muniz, Gianna Nelson and Dendee Scott.
The five years of service recipients included: APO Philip Berger, APO Larry Brown,
APO Ruben Colon, APO Kevin Fikes, APO
Bryan Holler, APO Wesley Johnson, APO
Charles Pugh, APO Daniel Stephenson,
APO Abby Blaser, Ptl. Tamara JacksonGlover, Ptl. Jason Manley, Ptl. Tarra Smith,
James Dale, Chantel McIver, Judith Miller,
Azeezah Sharif.
Top Right: Fifteen-year
Service Award recipients.
Middle Right: Twenty
and thirty-year Service
Award recipients.
Far left: Five-year Service Award recipients.
Left: Ten-year Service
Award recipients.
Photos Courtesy of:
Doug Currie Photography
Page 6
Metro Police Newsline
‘Roll Call in the Street’ Connects
Central Precinct with Community
F
olks who live in Central Precinct neighborhoods have been getting to know
the officers who patrol their streets a
little better this summer.
In June, Central Precinct Captain DeVonn
Adams rolled out his “Roll Call in the Street”
summer crime-reduction initiative.
Capt. Adams said. “We can’t be everywhere at all times, so we definitely need
the help of the community. So, we’re reaching out to them and letting them know that
we’re here to enforce the laws and improve
their quality of life, but we need their help
to do that.”
Typically patrol officers begin each shift
inside the precinct with a roll call so they
can be informed about any crime trends,
suspect lookouts and receive other information vital to working their beat.
During these “Roll Call in the Street” events,
the officers are dispatch from neighborhood
staging areas to give residents and businesspeople a chance to see the resources
deployed to protect them.
Besides the patrol officers, residents see
mounted patrol officers on horseback, motor
scooters and cycles, and a display of special operations resources.
So far this summer Capt. Adams has held
three Roll Call events. On June 1 his officers gathered along Waters Avenue in a
shopping center parking lot near 36th
Street. On June 22, Roll Call was held in
Habersham Village in the Abercorn Terrace neighborhood and on July 20th the
officers gathered to start their afternoon
shift at the Jonesville Baptist Church on
Montgomery Street in Tatemville.
Two more “Roll Call in the Street” events
are planned for August.
Before the actual roll call takes place at
2:30 p.m., officers have been grilling food
for the community, mingling with residents
and showing off special operation vehicles,
including a SWAT armored vehicle and a
helicopter, to the children.
“Roll Call in the Street” was started by
Capt. Adams in 2012 as part of his All
Hands on Deck operation. That was in
response to Police Chief Willie Lovett's
charge to fight the annual increase in crime
during the summer months when teens are
out of school. The operation was successful
in cutting crime numbers reported in the
precinct to 30 percent below 2011 numbers.
Article by: Michelle Gavin
Top Center: Members of Central Precinct’s C
Watch attended roll call in the parking lot at
Waters Avenue and 36 Street on June 1 to kick
off the “Roll Call in the Street” summer initiative. They were backed up the Mounted Patrol
officers. Dozens of members of the community
stopped by to watch and meet the officers.
Photo by: Michelle Gavin
Above: Central Precinct Sgt. Torrance Garvin
connected with young girl and her father at the
“Roll Call in the Street” event on June 22nd in
Habersham Village.
Photo by: APO Barry Lewis
Volume 1, Issue 2
Page 7
Top Left: Chief Willie Lovett gave Metro Police
water bottles to some of the boys who attended
the Waters Avenue “Roll Call in the Street”.
Top Right: Central Precinct Capt. DeVonn Adams welcomed Savannah Alderwoman Mary
Osborne and a neighborhood block captain to
the Waters Avenue event.
Middle Left: Central Precinct Sgt. Torrance
Garvin distributed information to his officers as
they started their shift from the “Roll Call in the
Street” event on Waters Avenue.
Lower Left: APO Barry Lewis posed with members of Certus Bank. The bank’s Assistant Vice
President Tina Browning and other employees
donated dozens of stuffed teddy bears for Central Precinct officers to keep in their police cars
and give to children. The also presented Det.
Yidier Gonzalez with the first monthly Community Spotlight Hero Award.
Bottom Left: SCMPD’s McGruff the Crime Dog
hopped on a police Piaggio motorcycle.
Photos by: Michelle Gavin and APO Barry Lewis
Page 8
Metro Police Newsline
Left: The Metro Police Honor Guard
joined the Chatham
County Sheriff’s Office
and Savannah Fire
honor guard members
to escort the families
of local firefighters
and police officers
killed in the line of
duty down Drayton
Street in the 200
Club’s Savannah Mile
“Memory Walk”.
Photos by: Michelle
Gavin
‘Savannah Mile’ Honors
Local First Responders
T
he Two Hundred Club of the Coastal
Empire answers the call any time a
local police officer, firefighter or
paramedic is killed in the line of the duty.
They provide immediate financial assistance to those families.
On May 25, when the Two Hundred Club
was looking for participants for their annual fundraiser “The Savannah Mile”, Metro Police officers answered the call.
More than four dozen police officers from
nearly every precinct and unit within the
department came to race’s start line at
Forsyth Park to show their support for this
good cause.
“We had three main goals: raising money, raising awareness and honoring our
fallen heroes,” said Two Hundred Club
President Mark Dana. “But there was
something extra special about this year’s
event...we had tremendous participation
by our local first responders.”
Several of the officers raced in their age
group heats and many more wanted to
run in the “Hero’s Heat”. The SWAT Team,
several Crime Suppression Unit officers
and others ran the mile-long race down
Drayton Street in full gear.
Lt. Keith Edwards ran in more than 40
pounds of SWAT gear.
“It was challenging with
all that stuff, but well
worth it,” he said.
“I wanted to run in this
event because it supports the survivors of
officers who died fulfilling their obligation to
their job,” Lt. Edwards
said. “As a police officer there is no guarantee you are coming
home at night and it’s
nice to know there are
people out there to supAbove: Sgt. Brad Beddow and Savannah firefighters saluted the famiport fallen officers.”
lies of fallen first responders as they walked down Drayton Street.
APO Matthew Cross got
his fellow West Chatham Precinct CSU
“We are truly humbled as a community
officers to run in their police gear. “To
by the amount of risk our Police and Fire
show we could I guess,” APO Cross said.
personnel place themselves in each and
“It was fun just to get out there and repre- every day. We care for those who care
sent the department and our CSU and
for us, that’s the least we can do!”
show we are an elite group of officers.
A few of SCMPD’s officers placed in the
We also wanted to show the community
race. APO Kevin Lovell placed first in the
we do more than work the streets.”
Males 25-29, APO Rebekah Gregory
Dana called the event a huge success.
placed second in the Females 20-24 and
“Each time the Two Hundred Club reAPO Michele Schiro placed third among
sponds to a line of duty death, it’s a
the women in the Hero’s Heat.
$250,000 commitment,” Dana explained.
Article by: Michelle Gavin
Volume 1, Issue 2
Page 9
Top left: The SWAT Team and other
SCMPD officers ran the Savannah Mile in
full gear. They posed with 200 Club
President Mark Dana before the race.
Above: APO Kasey Suddath and her
daughter participated in the family heat.
Middle Left: APO Heather Clendening, APO Kevin Lovell, APO Richard Wiggins, APO Rebekah
Gregory, APO Rey Osorio, APO Jonathan Cour and Ptl. Otilio Rivera ran in one of the heats.
Middle Right: SCMPD officers cross the finish line at Drayton and Broughton streets.
Above: Capt. Phillip Reilley cheered on runners
from his West Chatham Precinct—APO Michele
Schiro, APO Wendy Terry and Det. Mike Delatorre.
Bottom Right: West Chatham CSU officers Matthew
Cross and Kenneth Leach ran the Hero Heat in their
police gear. Photos by: Michelle Gavin
Metro Police Newsline
Page 10
Metro Police Sponsor Summer
Camp for Savannah Kids
T
he mission of the Metro Police
Juvenile Officers Unit is to
connect with the community’s
at-risk youth and try to steer them
away from a life of crime.
So when school let out for the summer, Major Richard Zapal charged
the Juvenile Officers to organize a
Youth Summer Camp (one for boys,
one for girls) to reach out to struggling kids and be a positive influence in their lives.
The boy’s camp ran from July 8-12
and more than two dozen boys, ages 8-13, participated.
Each day they learned about a different aspect of law enforcement,
had fun, and learned the importance
of holding your head high.
“I learned that the police are here to
help, not just arrest people,” said a
14-year old participant.
“I also learned if you have a bad
attitude, you do bad things and you
can end up in a bad place. I also
learned police aren’t just there to
arrest you, but to help you too,” he
said.
Juvenile Officers APO Sean Sublett,
APO Jeremy McKnight, APO Sam
Hicks, APO Dion Hurley and APO
Dabureau Samuels organized the
camp along with APO Odarie
Gibbs, SCpl. Reggie Owens and
APO Lorenzo Baker.
“I don’t think we pay enough attention to children when they do positive things,” said APO Sublett.
“What we wanted to do with this
camp was treat the young men with
respect and actually listened to their
issues with life and not judge them.
This went a long way to create a
lasting bond with them.”
APO McKnight added, “I hope the
children who completed the camp
can help destroy the stigma that
police are negative figures. I hope
in light of this camp, kids will gravi-
tate not just to the police officers
they know, but to all police officers
because their mindset has changed.”
The Youth Summer Camp participants took field trips to the Chatham
County Detention Center, the Chatham County Courthouse, Georgia
Southern University and Frames and
Games.
Pastor Joseph Baker from Townsley
Chapel AME Church and the SSU
Police were a huge part in making
this camp a success.
The Metro Police also sponsored a
girl’s camp from July 22-26. Look
for that article in the next newsletter.
Article by: Michelle Gavin
Above: Major Richard Zapal presented certificates to the young men
who completed the Metro Police
Youth Summer Camp . City Manager Stephanie Cutter and Major
James Barnwell were there to congratulate the kids.
Photo by: Michelle Gavin
Left: Each morning Juvenile Officer
APO Sam Hicks led the campers in
warm up exercises. The camp was
held on Savannah State University’s
campus.
Photo by: APO Jeremy McKnight
Above: APO Sean Sublett organized a tour at Georgia Southern
University to inspire the boys to stay in school.
Left: K-9 APO Amanda McGruder let the boys meet her dog
Djieno and did a demonstration. Photos by: APO Jeremy McKnight
Page 11
Volume 1, Issue 2
Left: After the boys received their camp certificates they listened to inspiring words from Savannah City Manager Stephanie Cutter and Mayor Pro-Tem Van Johnson.
Above: The boys proudly held up their certificates as they were surrounded by Metro Police
officers and city leaders for a final group photo. Photos by: Michelle Gavin
Crime Prevention
Officers Focus on
Youth Outreach
C
rime Prevention Officers wear many hats in the precincts
to which they are assigned. They attend numerous
Neighborhood Watch and Neighborhood Association
meetings throughout the city and county.
APO Samantha Stephens, the CPO for the Downtown Precinct,
makes a point to follow up with burglary victims with tips to
prevent future break-ins, she goes door to door to meet citizens
in her neighborhoods, but always has time to talk to young people.
“I want children to know a police officers’ first job is to make
sure they are safe and happy, not to arrest them,” said APO
Stephens. “I always tell them to be good listeners because
good listeners make good citizens.”
The CPO’s in the other four precincts have the same dedication
to their job and to children.
“Many crimes originate as crimes of opportunity,” said West
Chatham CPO Bryan Harrell. “It is imperative that our youth
engage in constructive activities or camps which many CPOs
attend.”
The CPOs for the Island’s Precinct are APO Elizabeth Hardy and
APO Chris Kersey. APO Willett Williams is the CPO for Central
Precinct and Cpl. John Simmons is the CPO for the Southside
Precinct.
Article by: Michelle Gavin
Left: West Chatham
Crime Prevention
Officer APO Bryan
Harrell, Officer Megan Novinger and
McGruff the Crime
dog visited some
children at the
Grand Lakes Club
House on June 27.
Below: Islands Precinct Crime Prevention Officer APO
Elizabeth Hardy
handed out bike
helmets at a Amerigroup Bike Rodeo at
Lake Mayer in June.
Metro Police Newsline
Page 12
Mobile Field Force:
Training for Disaster
Left: The Mobile Field
Force Unit trains quarterly. Training includes
practicing driving maneuvers on Hutchinson Island.
Right: APO Justin Hardy
held up his protective
shield during training on
May 28 at the Police
Mounted Patrol stables.
Photo by: Michelle Gavin
Above: APO Larry Brown and fellow Mobile Field Force members
surrounded a building and stood guard. The Mobile Field Force unit is
utilized for crowd control and protect essential government buildings
or relief supplies in times of disaster.
Photo by: Michelle Gavin
Join Now!
The Two Hundred Club of the Coastal Empire is accepting
applications for new members.
100% of all membership dues and donations are used to provide
monetary support to the families of fallen first responders in the
Coastal Empire and Low Country.
Check out this story and much more on the
Annual membership dues for Law Enforcement Officers is $100.
Visit www.twohundredclub.org for information or contact
mgavin@savannahga.gov for a membership form.
www.facebook.com/scmpd
official SCMPD Facebook page!
Volume 1, Issue 2
Page 13
Southside Precinct
Organizes Officer
Appreciation Cookout
Above: Southside Precinct Captain Dean Fagerstrom grilled hamburgers for his officers on Friday, May 31 and cooked breakfast
for the other shifts the following Sunday. Capt. Fagerstrom said he
got the idea after the Police Memorial Day service and wanted to
do more to bring his officers together.
Left: Crime Prevention Officer Cpl. John Simmons, Ptl. Cameron
Nichols, Ptl. Robert Micheli, and APO Zachary Burdette enjoyed
their free meal courtesy of Capt. Fagerstrom, Kroger and WalMart.
Photos by: Michelle Gavin
Azalea Run Raises $9.3K for CrimeStoppers
Above: The CrimeStoppers of Savannah-Chatham County annual Azalea Run fundraiser was held on June 8th. The event started at Forsyth Park and included a 5K,
10K and 15K run for the 341 participants. The Azalea Run raised more than
$9,300 for the CrimeStoppers reward fund which is awarded to citizens who help
the police solve crimes in the Savannah and Chatham County community.
Right: Medals were presented to the top three runners in each age group category. The date has already been set for next year’s race. Mark your calendar for
May, 3, 2014.
Photos by: Michelle Gavin
Above: Savannah Impact
Crime Analyst
James Hall
helped clock the
runners times at
the finish line.
Several SCMPD
employees and
volunteers
helped make
the race a success.
Metro Police Newsline
Page 14
In Other News...
Left: SCMPD’s Aviation Unit participated at Garden City Elementary School’s
career day on May 31. Tactical Flight
Officer John Garcia posed with a class
in front of the Eagle 2 chopper.
Above: Tactical Flight Officer’s John
Garcia and Marcus Graves spoke to
students. Photos courtesy of SCMPD
Aviation Unit
Right: On July 13 the SCMPD
Animal Control Unit held a Summer
Vaccination Clinic at the office on
Sallie Mood Drive. Unit commander Lt. Cary Hill and an Animal
Control officer checked in the pet
owners and their pets. During the
event, veterinarians administered
more than 1,000 vaccines to 600
dogs and cats. The Vaccination
Clinic provides necessary vaccines
at a reduce cost to pet owners
living in Chatham County.
Photo by: Julian Miller
Left: SCMPD Major James Barnwell
and Captain Ben Herron joined hands
with residents in West Savannah for a
Silence the Violence march on July
13. Major Larry Branson, Captain
Mike Wilkins, Sgt. Shinita Young, APO
Jeremy McKnight and Traffic and
Mounted Patrol unit officers attended
the event. Following the march,
which centered around three recent
shooting scenes in the Richards StreetAugusta Avenue area, members of
the community held a BBQ and spoke
with police about ways to make their
neighborhood safer.
Photo by: Michelle Gavin
Page 15
Volume 1, Issue 2
Southside Precinct Ofc. Enrique
Marquez after he offered to
take her to the hospital after
she fell in her home. He also
provided her with his personal
information in case she needed
anything. She wrote, “he is a
remarkable man and honors the
shield he wears”.
Metro
Atta Boys




St. Peter the Apostle School Cub
Scout Pack 702 praised Islands
Precinct Crime Prevention
Officer APO Chris Kersey for
organizing a demonstration for
the boys. The Pack leader said
the boys couldn't stop talking
about their experience with the
Metro Police officers and called
the demonstration “fun, informative and impressive”.
In February a woman thanked
Islands Precinct Ofc. Carl
Meadows and Ofc. David
Oldham for responding to her
home after she accidentally
called 911. She said, “these
two men were the nicest
officers” and thanked the chief
for “hiring such nice men.”
In April the City of Savannah’s
Emergency Management Director and Armstrong Atlantic
State University praised Sgt.
Brad Beddow for securing an
agreement between AASU and
SCMPD for the use of their
campus as a staging area in the
event of a hurricane evacuation.
AASU’s Police Chief said
Beddow “represented the
department professionally in an
academic management
environment and demonstrated
maturity and well-developed
interpersonal skills.”
In April a women commended
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In April a retried U.S. Air Force
Lt. Col. praised Ofc. George
Jusino after he responded to a
Central Precinct neighborhood
where thieves had broken into
several cars. Ofc. Jusino responded again that same day
after a neighbor passed away
and consoled the man’s wife.
The Lt. Col. said Ofc. Jusino was
“extremely professional and
portrayed an outstanding image
of what we have come to expect of our Savannah/Metro
Police Department”.
In May a man praised West
Chatham Precinct APO Robert
Whitfield for responding to a
call in his neighborhood. The
man wrote, “He was polite, articulate and possessed the skill
to take what could have been
an explosive situation and reduced it to conversation only.”
He added Ofc. Whitfield
“represented Savannah very
well” and said he’s an example
of what all officers should aspire to be.
The Los Angels Police Department commended Sgt. Alex Tobar, Det. Chris Ross, Det. Eric
Smith, Det. Sean Sueaquan and
Ofc. Kristy Kaspas for helping
them with an unsolved 1995
homicide investigation and arrest a suspect. LAPD Chief Beck
wrote, “I would like to commend
your officers for their leadership
abilities, keen investigative skills,
attention to duty, tenacity and
dedication to the common goal
of crime suppression.”
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A man who was managing parking for a wedding at Christ
Church on Johnson Square
praised APO Trey Blackburn for
helping locate the owners of several cars that were in the way
for the wedding. The man wrote,
“I would like to commend officer
Blackburn for his polite demeanor and diplomatic handing of a
situation that barely seemed to
be a police matter.”
The City of Savannah’s HR department praised APO Terrance
Jackson for helping them move
large amounts of heavy items to
Forsyth Park for the city’s LEAN
Challenge and them helped them
return the items after the event.
One of the HR ladies wrote, “He
carries himself with the utmost
professionalism and is truly a
fine example of our police force
here in Savannah.”
In July a downtown bookstore
owner was notified by ADT that
she had forgotten to lock her
business. ADT called 911 and
Communications Training
Officer Denise Hamilton in turn
called the owner back.
Richardson dispatched Officer
Scott Richards and Officer
Christopher Ameduri who went
into the book store, got the key,
locked the store and put the key
in the mail slot. The bookstore
owner praised everyone
involved and called the officers
and dispatcher “most helpful”.
L ETTER FROM THE C HIEF
While my police officers may not be able to wipe out crime, they are taking a
proactive approach to prevent crimes and they are having a huge impact on this
community in trying to help the young people in Savannah and Chatham County.
I am so impressed with the many efforts my officers have taken this summer to
engage our youth. From “Roll Call in the Street” to Summer Youth Camps and just the
day-to-day, one-on-one interactions, officers are taking time to interact with boys
and girls. The officers are giving out their personal contact information and letting
the children know they are there first and foremost to help the people in the
communities in which they serve.
I have had the opportunity to witness how a short conversation with a police officer at one of these community
policing events can transform a child’s attitude about law enforcement. It’s amazing how something as simple as
placing a Metro Police junior officer badge sticker on their shirt can put a smile on their face and start a
conversation.
On a final note, congratulations to Cpl. Clifford Perry, Jr.—or as we all call him—Mr. Perry on his 50 years of
service! He was a police officer when I joined the force nearly 40 years ago. He is a man who I have always
looked up to. I have sought his advise and wisdom on many occasions and I have always considered him one of
the finest officers on this department.
May God continue to bless Mr. Perry and all the men and women of this department and their families.
Sincerely,
Chief Willie C. Lovett
Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police
201 Habersham Street
Savannah, GA 31401
912.651.6675
www.scmpd.org
The Metro Police Newsline is published
every other month. It is written and
compiled by Community Relations
Administrator Michelle Gavin. If you
have any suggestions for the newsletter
contact mgavin@savannahga.gov.
Above: On May 22nd SCMPD Major Larry Branson (middle) represented Metro
Police at the American Diabetes Association’s 2013 Step Out Campaign Corporate
kickoff luncheon at the Pirates House. City of Savannah Fire Chief Charles Middleton
is chairing this year’s event. The walk will take place October 18 at Skidaway
Island State Park. For more information go to www.diabetes.org/savannah.