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Draft:Poulan Police Department

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The City of Poulan Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in the City of Poulan, GA. Officially referred to as "Poulan Police Department".[1], it provides 24-hour policing services to the residents of the City of Poulan. It is most notable for engaging in speed trap tactics since 2009, citation quotas, and corruption among police commanders[2][3][4][5][6].

Covid-19

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During the Covid-19 epidemic, Worth County Sheriff, Don Witaker, deputized members of the Poulan Police Department so that county ordinances specifically related to Covid-19 regulations could be enforced by Poulan Police Officers inside the city limits of Poulan, GA[7]

Speed Trap

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The Poulan Police Department has been featured in numerous articles by investigative and TV news journalists, as well YouTube podcasters, most notably for its speed trap tactics and corruption concerns..[8][9][10][11][12]. The city attorney; former Albany, Georgia, Mayor Tommy Coleman;[13] has repeatedly defended the enforcement tactics, as well as the Poulan Police Department, which is often compared to the Warwick Police Department in news articles[14][15]

Between 2008 and 2012 Poulan is estimated to have received $1,676,402.80 (a per-capita amount of $2,012.49) from their Police Department's tactics inside the Poulan city limits on U.S. Route 82 (GA State Route 520).[16] Residents of Poulan have publicly voiced their concern over their police department's tactics multiple times with department leadership specifically denying quotas for summons and citations for traffic related offenses.[17][18]

In August of 2014, a local resident of Poulan placed a sign that warned drivers traveling on U.S. Route 82 (GA State Route 520) of the speed trap tactics. A local NBC/ABC affiliate, WALB, featured a story on the resident who claimed that Poulan Police Officers were given specific quotas. Poulan Police Chief, Larry Whisenant,[19] explicitly refuted this claim and denied that any officers were given quotas[17]> for speeding citations. In February of 2015 the sign was stolen from its placement along U.S. Route 82 (GA State Route 520).[20]

In December of 2023, local NBC/ABC affiliate WALB produced a report about the Poulan Police Department and showcased the speed trap tactics that the Police Department continues to use.[21] The report calculated that the Poulan Police Department produced more income than the cost of the agency to the city's budget.[21] Poulan Police commanders were specifically asked for documents showing the amount of income received from speeding related citations. According to the article, Poulan "declined to comment".[21] According to Georgia law, a county or municipal law enforcement agency's budget may not exceed 35% of its annual budget from speeding related fines.[22]

In July of 2024, local NBC/ABC affiliate WALB produced another report on both the Poulan and Warwick Police Departments.[15] City attorney Tommy Coleman, defended the City of Poulan and the Police Department in an interview, claiming that Poulan's budget percentage from speed enforcement was at 22% for the years 2023 to 2024.[15] Worth County Sheriff, Don Whitaker, also defended the City of Poulan in an interview he participated in for the report.[15] Disturbingly, Worth County officials (including a member of the County Commission) and City of Poulan officials, admitted that Poulan required the revenue from speed related citations because their tax base was so small.[15]

Controversy

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In September 2012, then Poulan Mayor, Dustin Grubbs, was arrested in Dougherty County and charged with felony possession of various narcotic prescription pills[23] including oxycodone, oxycontin, and two different mixtures of Vicodin in different dosages with a total prescription pill count of 57. The arrest showcased the continued synthetic opioid epidemic in the United States.[23] Despite the charges, Grubbs remained the Mayor of Poulan until his untimely death in October 2020.[24]

In August 2017, Rosemary Jones, a police officer employed by Poulan Police, was arrested and charged by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (along with her husband) with two counts of felony cruelty to children in the first-degree, two counts of aggravated assault, and one count of felony false imprisonment.[25][26] Their arrest made national[27][28][29][30] and international news.[31] Despite the arrest, Jones was retained by the Poulan Police Department, and eventually promoted to Captain.[19]

In August of 2024 YouTuber DG Hamblin,[32] a styled "constitutional conservative" and retired GA law enforcement officer,[33] interviewed a former Poulan Police Officer on The DG Hamblin Show. During the interview the officer shared details regarding speed trap tactics, quotas for summons and citations, theft and tampering of evidence by police commanders, falsified police reports, and general graft by commanders and city officials. DG Hamblin also released redacted documents that included audio, text messages, and reports.[34][35]

References

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  1. ^ "Poulan Police Department". City of Poulan. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  2. ^ Simmons, Andria (2014-10-22). "Some rural Georgia towns policing for profit". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on 2020-01-13. Retrieved 13 January 2020. Take the example of Poulan (pronounced PO-lan), where officials claim to have seen the error of their ways. The town of 833 took in $1.67 million in ticket revenue between 2008 and 2012, but the income has fallen steadily since then....In the case of Poulan, GDOT raised the limit after receiving numerous complaints about it being a speed trap, Dale said.
  3. ^ "'Speed Trap' sign stirs up Poulan area". walb.com. 2014-08-05. Archived from the original on 2020-01-13.
  4. ^ Smith, Romney (17 July 2013). "FOX 31 investigates: Are there speed traps in Poulan?". WFXL. Archived from the original on 2020-01-13. Retrieved 13 January 2020.
  5. ^ DG Hamblin (2024-08-05). What happened with Poulan Police Department?. Retrieved 2024-08-18 – via YouTube.
  6. ^ DG Hamblin (2024-08-12). What happened with Poulan PD (part two). Retrieved 2024-08-18 – via YouTube.
  7. ^ "Covid-19 Resource - Worth County, GA". worthga.com. March 25, 2020. Retrieved 2024-08-29.
  8. ^ Worsley, Jamie (2023-12-28). "WALB Investigates two towns some refer to as 'speed traps'". walb.com. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  9. ^ "Some rural Georgia towns policing for profit". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  10. ^ Pierrotti, Andy (2024-07-22). "Nearly 73% of this city's budget comes from traffic tickets". atlantanewsfirst.com. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  11. ^ DG Hamblin (2024-08-05). What happened with Poulan Police Department?. Retrieved 2024-08-18 – via YouTube.
  12. ^ DG Hamblin (2024-08-12). What happened with Poulan PD (part two). Retrieved 2024-08-18 – via YouTube.
  13. ^ reports, From staff (2021-07-22). "Tommy, Flin Coleman join Atlanta-based Drew Eckl & Farnham law firm". Albany Herald. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  14. ^ Smith, Romney (2013-07-17). "FOX 31 investigates: Are there speed traps in Poulan?". WFXL. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  15. ^ a b c d e Worsley, Jamie (2024-07-25). "Warwick city attorney says, 'People aren't going to believe this'". www.walb.com. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  16. ^ "Database: Georgia's biggest ticket traps". ajc. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  17. ^ a b "'Speed Trap' sign stirs up Poulan area". walb.com. 2014-08-06. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  18. ^ "'Speed Trap' sign may return to Poulan". walb.com. 2014-08-16. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  19. ^ a b "Poulan Police Department". City of Poulan. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
  20. ^ Valenzuela, Aaryn (2015-02-12). "Poulan man's speed trap sign stolen". walb.com. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  21. ^ a b c Worsley, Jamie (2023-12-28). "WALB Investigates two towns some refer to as 'speed traps'". walb.com. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
  22. ^ "2018 Georgia Code :: Title 40 - Motor Vehicles and Traffic :: Chapter 14 - Use of Speed Detection Devices and Red Light Cameras :: Article 2 - Speed Detection Devices :: § 40-14-11. Investigations by commissioner of public safety; issuance of order suspending or revoking permit; ratio of speeding fines to agency's budget". Justia Law. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
  23. ^ a b Wallace, Jim (2012-09-07). "Poulan Mayor arrested on drug charges". walb.com. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
  24. ^ "Poulan mayor dies". walb.com. 2020-10-12. Retrieved 2024-08-25.
  25. ^ "GBI Arrests Couple on Child Abuse Charges in Worth County". gbi.georgia.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  26. ^ Miller, Dave (2017-08-22). "Police officer couple arrested for child abuse". walb.com. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  27. ^ undefined. "South Georgia couple, both police officers, charged with child abuse". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. ISSN 1539-7459. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  28. ^ "Married police officers arrested for abusing adopted children". Crime Online. 2017-08-23. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  29. ^ "Police officer couple arrested for mistreating adopted kids". N.Y. Post. 2017-08-22. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  30. ^ "Police officers charged with mistreating their children". Washington Times. August 24, 2017. Retrieved August 28, 2024.
  31. ^ "Couple who are both police accused of mistreating children". AP News. Associated Press. 2017-08-22. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  32. ^ "DG Hamblin". YouTube. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  33. ^ "DG Hamblin". YouTube. Retrieved 2024-08-19.
  34. ^ DG Hamblin (2024-08-05). What happened with Poulan Police Department?. Retrieved 2024-08-18 – via YouTube.
  35. ^ DG Hamblin (2024-08-12). What happened with Poulan PD (part two). Retrieved 2024-08-18 – via YouTube.
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