Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, March 4,2020
dawsonnews.com I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I 5A
I conducted an unsuccessful
traffic stop. Here’s what not to do.
Jessica Taylor
Reporter
What should have been
a simple traffic stop for a
busted headlight resulted
in my death.
At least I thought it
would be simple when I
was handed a flashlight
and told to check a
stopped car at the
Dawson County
Courthouse.
The air was cold and
the night was dark. The
only light I could see was
from my flashlight and
the flashing blue lights
behind me.
There were two people
in the car in front of me.
The music on the radio
was too loud for me to
think straight.
I kept telling myself
over and over “this is just
a simulation. Whatever
happens, it isn’t real.”
Although I knew what I
was about to do was just
part of a hands-on learn
ing experience from the
Dawson County Sheriff’s
Office, when I stepped up
to the passenger’s side
door, that thought left my
mind.
In that moment, I was a
patrol officer.
Deputies Pierce and
Smith sat in that gold
sedan acting as if they
were under the influence.
I could see the silver grip
of a gun peeking out of
the center console.
I had to think as if I
was a real patrol officer.
How would I react to two
inebriated men and a
potentially loaded gun at
a traffic stop?
My main objective was
to make it home to my
family in one piece, but in
order to do that I had to
figure out how to safely
handle my current situa
tion.
I asked the driver to
keep his hands on the
steering wheel while I
had his passenger exit the
vehicle and put his hands
on the hood of the car.
There was no one there
to help me as I stood
there in the dark, alone,
with an intoxicated man
much larger than me
while his buddy had
ample opportunity to grab
that handgun while I was
preoccupied.
Dawson County
Sheriff's Office
deputies pre
tend to be intox
icated vehicle
occupants dur
ing a traffic stop
simulation on
Feb. 25 during
the Citizens Law
Enforcement
Academy.
Jessica Taylor
Dawson County News
As soon as I pulled the
passenger out of the vehi
cle, I felt like I had made
a huge mistake.
I’d just given this intox
icated man the opportuni
ty to assault me or flee. I
told him not to move, but
would he actually listen
to me? Would he stay put
or would he put up a
fight? I had to trust that
he would stay where he
was while I checked on
his buddy.
I lowered my gaze to
look into the car.
Immediately my heart
started pounding as I real
ized the gun I had just
seen moments ago was
now gone. The driver had
a weapon on him. He
could have shot me at any
moment.
My mind raced and I
struggled to make a quick
decision. Indecisiveness
is one of my fatal flaws,
so I was forced to follow
my gut and make a deci
sion to hopefully get this
situation resolved without
any injuries.
“Sir, that gun is missing
from the center console. I
need you to put your
hands up and exit the
vehicle,” I said in a some
what authoritative, but
extremely shaky voice.
Real fear was sinking
in. If I had time to pro
cess my thoughts I could
have told myself that this
was just a fun little test,
but there was no time. I
had two men outside of
their vehicle, and one was
definitely armed. Any
number of things could
happen.
“I don’t want to do
this,” I said as I began a
pat down search of the
driver. I didn’t know what
I was searching for, or
how to do a proper
search. The only thing I
knew is that there was a
gun somewhere.
“Hey, where’d my
buddy go,” Pierce asked.
I stopped my search
and looked around. Sure
enough, the passenger,
Deputy Smith, was now
gone.
I heard a voice over the
intercom at my patrol
vehicle. He had found a
way to get to my car
without me even noticing.
When I turned back to
look at the driver, he had
the gun aimed at my
chest.
Bang. I was dead.
I imagine my traffic
stop was less than five
minutes, but it felt like so
much more. It happened
so quickly yet so slowly.
The rest of my Citizens
Law Enforcement class
went through the same
simulation, each one fail
ing as I had. Laughs were
shared as we watched
each other fumble along
trying our best to get
through the drill
unscathed.
While we had our fun
and joked around, we
were given a wakeup call.
This is what it’s like
being on patrol.
When you step out of
your vehicle, you don’t
know how each situation
will play out - and there
are a million ways it
could go.
It could be as simple as
a busted headlight and
telling the driver to get it
fixed and have a nice day.
It could be a person driv
ing with a suspended
license. It could be a sto
len vehicle. It could be a
car full of weapons. It
could be a driver under
the influence. It could be
a domestic violence situa
tion with a passenger
screaming out for help.
As an officer, you have
to be prepared for all of
the possibilities while not
infringing upon constitu
tional rights and somehow
securing your own safety.
It’s a lesson we all took
to heart that night as we
realized every single one
of us would have been
killed if this situation was
reality.
I walked away with an
appreciation for the
weight that is placed on
these deputies’ shoulders
because it’s something I
wouldn’t ever be prepared
for. I couldn’t walk into
every situation preparing
for the worst possible
ending because that
amount of stress would
suffocate me.
While I hope I’m never
pulled over by an officer
again in my life, I’ll
remember this experience
for when that day may
come. Maybe for one
traffic stop I can put that
deputy at ease so they
know after talking to me
they will be going home
to their family.
Dawson County News
reporter Jessica Taylor will
continue with a series of
pieces on the Citizens Law
Enforcement Academy next
week.
2020 Water System Improvements
Etowah Water & Sewer Authority
Dawsonville, Georgia
Etowah Water & Sewer Authority is requesting individual sealed Bids
for furnishing all materials, labor, tools, equipment and appurtenances
necessary for the 2020 Water System Improvements project. The Project
will consist of approximately 3,700 LF of 12-inch DIP water main, 3,600
LF of 8-inch DIP water main, and 250 FF of 6-inch DIP water main water
main, including all necessary and required accessories, service change-
overs, traffic control and erosion and sedimentation control which will
be performed at three different sites or locations within the county. The
work will be awarded in one contract. Pre-qualification of Bidders is
required for the 2020 Water System Improvements project. Beginning
Wednesday, March 4,2020, a copy of the application and qualification
requirements can be obtained from the Etowah Water & Sewer Authority
Engineering and Construction Department located at 1162 Highway 53
East, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534 or via email to Tim Collins at timc@
etowahwater.org. Completed pre-qualification applications for Bids will
be received at the Etowah Water & Sewer Authority Engineering and
Construction Department, 1162 Highway 53 East, Dawsonville, Georgia
30534 until 4:00 p.m., local time, Friday, April 3,2020.
Photo courtesy Lanier Tech
From left, Susanna Carey, U.S. Representative Doug Collins and Brandon
Carey.
Lanier Tech Instructor named
EMS Educator of the Year
From staff reports
A Paramedicine Technology
Instructor at Lanier Technical College
has been named the 2020 Georgia
EMS Educator of the Year by the
Georgia Emergency Services
Association.
Brandon Carey, instructor of Lanier
Tech’s Paramedicine Program received
the award from U.S. Rep. Doug
Collins at a reception in downtown
Atlanta in mid-February.
According to a release from Lanier
Tech, the Georgia EMS Educator of
the Year Award is presented to an EMS
Educator who has contributed signifi
cantly to EMS education at the com
munity, regional, and/or state level.
“We are so very proud of Brandon.
He is a shining example of the great
instructors we have at Lanier Technical
College,” Ray Perren, president of
Lanier Technical College said in the
release. “I have said for years that
Lanier Tech is home to the very best
EMT/Paramedic Training Program in
the State of Georgia. Brandon’s award
is even further evidence of the quality
of our Paramedicine Program. Our
instructors make the difference.”
Historic Preservation Commission
approves second annual photo contest
By Jessica Taylor
jtaylor@dawsonnews.com
Dawsonville’s Historic Preservation
Commission (HPC) has unanimously
approved its second annual photography
contest for local students.
“For a period, we had high school stu
dents go out into the community and take
photographs of historic buildings in
downtown... they were compiled by the
high school art teacher. We sent those
then to a selection committee who chose a
winner,” HPC Chairwoman Angie Smith
said.
In the inaugural competition, co-win
ners were awarded and had their photo
graphs displayed in Dawsonville City
Hall during May, the national historic
preservation month.
At the April 29, 2019 HPC meeting,
Ian Costley was announced as the winner
of the “This is Our Town” photography
contest, with Caroline Cranford receiving
honorable mention.
“We presented them with a monetary
prize and a certificate from the city so we
would like to make this year the second
annual,” Smith said.
At the most recent HPC meeting, mem
bers agreed to follow the rules and proce
dures put in place for the 2019 photogra
phy contest which is open to students at
Dawson County High School and
Dawson County Junior High School.
Students can enter a maximum of three
photographs in the competition. Entries
must include title of photograph, first and
last name of photographer and the date
and location of the photograph.
The committee is looking at setting the
submission deadline in early April, before
students leave school for spring break, so
that the contest winner can be announced
at the HPC’s April 27 meeting. An exact
deadline date was not set during the Feb.
24 meeting.
Smith asked for a volunteer on the
committee who would be willing to coor
dinate with the high school art teachers to
facilitate obtaining photos for the third-
party selection committee. Commission
member Carrie Fallstrom accepted to be
the photography contest liaison and will
be providing additional information on
the contest to the schools’ art teachers.
The Bowen Goes Platinum
20th Anniversary Gala
come celebrate with uo
:oo
p.m
featuring
Music • Caricatur iest • P
Silent & Live
gems & jeans
Tickets
, 1 at Cold Creek
H 9 1 Shoal
qqOR PRIZES Dawsonville,
drinks.
Tickets online at bowenarts.org or call 70
Sponsorships also available online
ART & GIFT GALLERY
Tuesday-Friday 10-4 Saturday 12-4
a non-profit organization
334 Highway 9 North
Dawsonville, GA 30534
just North of Historic Square
706.216.ARTS(2787)
www. bowe n arts. o rg
~ BECOME A MEMBER ~
Support the Arts in North Georgia
