Newspaper Page Text
Friday, January 4,2013
Tribune & Georgian
3A
Without Crown Vies, law enforcement weighs options
Submitted photo
Since Ford stopped producing the popular Crown Victoria, law enforcement agencies, in
cluding Camden County Sheriff’s Office, are seeking a replacement vehicles.Two CCSO
deputies are test driving the Chevrolet Caprice.
Johna Strickland Rush
iohna@tribune-georgian.com
In September 2011, the
final Ford Crown Victoria
rolled off the production line,
more than 30 years after
Ford first introduced the
model.
A long-favored vehicle
with law enforcement, agen
cies, such as Camden County
Sheriff’s Office, are having to
look elsewhere to equip offi
cers. Former Sheriff Tommy
Gregory had been able to
purchase used Crown Vies
but that avenue will eventu
ally close.
“That pool’s going to dry
up because everybody’s doing
that,” said Deputy William
Terrell. “... Those were the
gold standard of cop cars.
They were big. They were
durable. At high speed, they
ride real well. They float
down the road. They’re just
extraordinary. Plus they have
that imposing look, they look
like cop cars.”
The hunt for a replace
ment vehicle has already
begun with CCSO deputies
test driving a Dodge Charger
obtained from the state, two
Chevrolet Caprices and four
Chevrolet Tahoes bought by
the department, Terrell and
patrol Capt. Larry Bruce
said.
The two Caprices are rear-
wheel drive like the Crown
Vies along with being quick,
durable, more maneuverable
and faster than a Charger.
“We’re looking at all kinds
of things,” Terrell said.
One option is the Tahoe,
which has generally been uti
lized by K-9 units, and offers
equivalent or better gas
mileage than a Crown Vic, a
lower maintenance cost and
better re-sale value. The
Tahoes are also roomy and
can accommodate more gear.
Fuel economy is impor
tant, too, as deputies are on
the road 24/7.
“There’s a lot of things to
consider,” Terrell said. “It has
to be durable. It has to be
fast, preferably low mainte
nance costs because not only
do you have to buy the car
you have to put the blue
lights, radio, radar, stickers,
all that stuff has to be added
on after the base price.”
In addition, deputies con
tend with dirt roads, paved
streets and cutting across the
Interstate 95 median, Terrell
said.
“That can really take a toll
on a car,” he said.
Terrell anticipates a grad
ual transition from the
Crown Vies.
“Eventually, I think some
company will float to the top
and a lot of people will adopt
it but that hasn’t happened
yet,” he said.
As the Fords age, CCSO
employees will operate them
as long as possible and sal
vage any useable parts from
wrecked vehicles, Terrell
said.
“They get all the good out
of them,” Bruce said.
Sheriff Jim Proctor, who
took office Wednesday, in
tends to supply patrol
deputies with the best equip
ment, Terrell said.
“The ones who really need
the good stuff are going to
get it,” he said. Adminis
trative people, we don’t need
something like that. We’ll be
driving the older models.
The emphasis will be backing
up patrol and the people that
really need this stuff.”
Camden County Board of Commissioners
AGENDA
Tuesday, January 8,2013
Government Services Building, (Courthouse Square)
200 East 4th Street, 2nd Floor, Room 252,
Commissioners’ Meeting Chambers
Woodbine, Georgia
Convene Regular Meeting at 6:00 PM
Opening Ceremonies
• Invocation
• Pledge
Roll Call
Agenda Amendments
Adoption of Agenda
Approval of Minutes
• December 11,2012 regular meeting minutes; Decem
ber 20, 2012 special called meeting minutes
Public Comments
Adjourn Regular Meeting
Convene Solid Waste Authority (SWA) Meeting
SWA Roll Call
Reorganization of Solid Waste Authority - 2013
1. Pass the Gavel to the County Attorney
2. Election of Chair
3. Pass the Gavel to the Chair
4. Election of Vice-Chair
Agenda Amendments
Adoption of SWA Agenda
Approval of SWA Minutes
• SWA meeting minutes November 13, 2012
SWA Public Comments
1. Award Contract to construct Landfill Cell Phase II,
Stage IV
Additional SWA Public Comments
Adjourn SWA Meeting
Convene BOCC Regular Meeting
Regular Agenda
Administration - County Administrator Steve Howard
1. Appointment to the Board of Assessors
2. Appointment to the Planning Commission
3. Appointment to the Public Service Authority
Chief Appraiser Terry Ross & Tax Commissioner Beth Soles
4. Approval of Chair to execute Tax Release Applications.
Office of the County Attorney - Attorney Brent Green
5. Resolution to limit Probate Judges fees in the amount
of $7,500.00 pursuant to OCGA 15-9-68 for services
performed in reference to OCGA 31-10-8 and 31 -10-27
Finance & Budget - Purchasing Officer Keri Moreland
6. Award Contract to construct Landfill Cell Phase II,
Stage IV
7. Award Contract for Joint Land Use Study Grant
Office of Magistrate Court - Judge Jennifer Lewis
8. Approval of Private Probation Contract.
Adjourn Regular Meeting
Convene Public Hearing
Public Hearing
• Introduction of item 9 by Planning & Development Di
rector John Peterson and receive public comments re
garding this item.
Adjourn Public Hearing
Reconvene Regular Meeting
9. Special Exception Variance (ZV2012-7) request by
Charles Stephens located at 478 Powder Horn Rd. St.
Marys, GA, to allow a side-yard building setback re
duction from 15' to 13.4', to allow a 12' wide garage
addition to his existing garage.
Reports
• Calendar-January/February
• County Administrator’s Report
Additional Public Comments
Adjourn BOC Meeting
Please be advised that this agenda is subject to amend
ments. As set forth in the American with Disabilities Act of
1992, Camden County does not discriminate, on the basis of
disability, and will assist citizens with special needs, given
proper notice. Please contact the Office of the County Clerk
before 4:00 PM the day of the scheduled meeting at (912)
576-5651 for assistance.
Camden schools ready to tackle new year
Emily Heglund
editorl@tds.net
A thriving economy, tech
nology and facility upgrades
and accreditation are all key
to helping students succeed in
the new year, according to
school officials.
Though halfway through
the system’s fiscal year, Cam
den County Schools is striv
ing to meet several goals this
school year and next, school
board chairman Herbert
Rowland said.
“Since the primary goal of
school boards is to maintain
system accreditation, this is
the No. 1 goal for the school
year,” he said.
Committees have been
working on an internal self-
evaluation process since Au
gust 2012, Rowland said.
Representatives from the
Southern Association of Col
lege and Schools (SACS) will
be on site in Camden County
from March 10-13 and will
interview board members and
visit individual schools.
Rowland said the school
system also expects to tackle
technology upgrades in all
schools as well as facility im
provements. Administrators
also expect to improve atten
dance, the graduation rate
and test scores on the ACT,
SAT and AP exams.
“Since Georgia opted out
of No Child Left Behind, stu
dent progress is now meas
ured by the College and
Career Readiness Perform
ance Index,” Rowland said.
“This has resulted in adjust
ments of the curriculum at
every grade level. As with
anything new, a tremendous
effort has been required on
the part of administrators,
teachers, and students. In
terim reports indicate a suc
cessful transition has been
made which will be reflected
in year-end data.”
The school system’s great
est challenge continues to be
cuts in state funding, Row
land said. To help cope, the
system has relied on Educa
tion Special Purpose Local
Option Sales Tax (E-
SPLOST) funds as well as
local budget cuts.
A rebounding economy is
key to continual school sys
tem growth, Rowland said.
“Hopefully this year will
see new businesses attracted
to our county and an im
proved economy statewide
that will result in an increase
in educational funding,” he
said. “This would eventually
enable restoration of school
days and programs that have
been cut due to austerity re
ductions.”
Last year’s tragic shooting in
Newtown, Conn., also high
lighted security concerns for
schools across the country.
Camden County Schools had
already implemented upgraded
security measures before the
shooting, and administrators
will continue to look at poten
tial improvements.
The security measures al
ready implemented include:
• installing security doors
in all schools to deter visitors
from walking throughout
buildings unannounced
• adding and upgrading se
curity cameras in areas identi
fied by school administrators
• implementing school
safety plans that include pro
tocols for many types of
emergencies
• forming safety commit
tees to review everything from
playground safety to school
wide security measures
• placing four school re
source officers in the system
who are assigned to the mid
dle schools and high school.
They are on call to assist the
elementary schools as needed.
The school board is cur
rently hearing action plan re
ports at its regular meetings
from school principals and
teachers, and Rowland said
plans for 2013 seem to be on
course.
“Action plan reporting
confirms that progresses to
ward the year’s goals are on
track for all our schools,” he
said. “We look forward, with
every confidence in the dedi
cated professionals of Cam
den County Schools, to
meeting the goals and chal
lenges of the new year.”
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