The Dunwoody City Council passed all items on the agenda as presented, including the purchase of the Pipe Farm and the option on the hospital property depending on the outcome of the bond referendum in November.
Public comment this evening started with Mr. Andre Moses White who wanted to file a public compliant against the Dunwoody Police Department for what he believed was unfair and unprofessional actions taken in a citation he was given when he departed Sunday services at First Baptist Church of Atlanta, by passing several ramp closed signs, to enter the highway that was under construction. It looks as if our off duty officers were hired by the construction company to protect the dangerous construction zone on the highway itself but in doing so were forced to enforce the ramp signage too. Chief Grogan is still investigating the circumstances.
CBS Atlanta News "Tough Questions"
12 comments:
I'm not one who will criticize our wonderful Police Department, but after seeing that piece on WGCL last night, I have to ask - "what were they thinking?". That was embarassing and hopefully the right action will be taken and those tickets dismissed.
Hey Chief,
Man-Up and admit the mistake of your department. Quite obvious based on the video that the 'road closed' sign did not block the entrance from the right lane. The part at the end of the CBS video says it all when they said DeKalb officers were outside their car directing traffic while Dunwoody cops sat back and waited. Dunwoody PD does this EVERY DAY in our school zones (every day that they show up that is). They stay in the car and wave a radar gun around a bit. No hands-on traffic control like DeKalb. Our kids were better protected when we had DeKalb police. Drive by a Fulton County school or a Doraville school and you will see police being active. You will never hear the chief admit fault.
"Drive by a Fulton County school or a Doraville school and you will see police enforcing traffic laws with radar/laser guns just like every other PD."
There, fixed that for ya. ;-) If you think Doraville doesn't enforce speed zones around their schools like Dunwoody does, try driving past Hightower ES at 35 or 40 MPH during rush hour. Roscoe P. Coltrane will have his ticket book out in a flash.
Channel 46 produced a pretty damning report about DPD and the road construction. On the other hand I have to ask - what kind of numbskull DRIVES PAST SEVERAL "ROAD CLOSED" SIGNS? Without thinking, "Hey, maybe I shouldn't be here?"
I look forward to hearing Chief Grogan define the line between what the off-duty officers did, and what kind of responsibility drivers have to pay attention to the signs and actually obey them.
The traffic problems with the I-285 ramp were reported on See-Click-Fix a day BEFORE the police issued the tickets. What a waste.
Have to agree that the DPD look more like they were baiting a trap than trying to control and assist motorists during the work project.
People headed N-bound on N. Peachtree certainly weren't turned away from making the right-turn only lane onto the ramp.
The signs should have been better placed. Not clear why the cruisers were "halfway" up/down the ramp. Were they supposed to be controlling traffic on I-285 and just "swung down" to head-off folks on the ramp? Or, were they stationed on the ramp waiting for "offenders."
Seems to me that in any case, the benefit of the doubt should have been given to the motorists since this was a temporary, dynamic situation and not a long-term closure.
I went that way to work on Sunday and knew not to go up the ramp. GDOT had signage up for a week that the ramp would be closed. Our police do not seem nearly as ticket happy as Chamblee, Doraville and Dekalb. Give them a break.
The issue is that many of these ticketed were taking in church services at 1st Atlanta. Most of the people who attend 1st Atlanta do not live in or near Dunwoody.
We should have been better hosts. This does not rise to handing out tickets.
It's really irrelevant what Chamblee, Doraville, or others do with respect to what the Dunwoody Police do.
Chief Grogan clearly had egg on his face in trying to explain this behavior.
The signage was inadequately positioned, the situation was temporary, and some regard for confusion on the part of the motorist would have gone a long way to taking care of the 10 or so motorists who were issued tickets.
Chip
Get your facts straight....The Dekalb Officers are working for the church on Cotillion at N. Shallowford and I-285 WEST. They have nothing to do with the construction zone on 285 East.
And, what does "Ramp Closed" mean to you? That's it's closed only if I can't fit my car around the barricades?
Gwen, why would the DeKalb officers working for the church on Cotillion be standing on Buford Highway. Sorry, you weren't there to report things correctly. Actually, to correct you, there were 3 DeKalb officers directing traffic at Buford Highway and the access road to I-285. They were assisting motorists through the instersction. They were not hired by a construction crew or church. They also did not appear to be writing any tickets.
My mistake. I thought they were talking about the officers working for the church.
What ever was the outcome of this incident? Did these folks have to end up paying their "road closed" tickets?
Just wondering. If ya think I'm being nosy, which I probably am, then just ignore me.
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