NEWS FLASH
The following article is a reprint of an
article ran in the most recent issue of the Powder Springs Messenger paper
(permission given to us to rerun this by The Messenger):
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Powder Springs Police Department Gets
Tough on Crime
This
article was written solely for and appeared in the June 2005 Issue of the Powder
Springs Messenger Newspaper. No portion of this article may be reproduced,
edited, condensed, changed or used on any other website, without the express
written permission of The Powder Springs Messenger Newspaper and is subject to
all Federal Copyright laws. Copyright 2005. You can email The Messenger @
PSMESSENGER@MSN.COM
This
article supplied courtesy of the P. S. Messenger Newspaper & the P. S. Post
has permission to use on their webpage.
By Staff Reporter
It’s
soon to be summertime in Powder Springs and the heat is not the only thing that
is getting hotter … the Powder
Springs Police Department is ready to get even tougher on crime within the city.
“We as a police department are being
confronted with an excessive amount of teenage crime,” said Chief Rick
Richardson. “And we are going to come down hard on these kids and their
parents.”
Teenage crimes such as criminal damage
to property, often referred to as “tagging” by gang members, is one such
crime that the department has seen an increase in over the past few months.
“Tagging is what gangs call the act of
marking or tagging their turf or territory,” said the Chief.
“Other problems include the damage or destruction of property within
subdivision amenities.”
In most recent weeks, three juveniles
(all 16 years of age) and one adult (age 18) were arrested for damaging city
property.
“There was wet cement on the new work
completed on Marietta Street,” said Chief Richardson.
“The individuals (one female and three male) wrote obscenities in the
wet pavement.”
The juveniles and their parents will be
held responsible for the almost $7,000 worth of damage to the city’s property.
He added that the offenders have damaged
everything from playground sets to swimming pools.
The Chief also stated that the largest amount of graffiti destruction is
taking place on the trails.
“We have also seen an excessive
increase in loud music from cars and homes,” he said.
“We do have noise ordinances within the city limits and if juveniles
break the law, they will be charged.”
In April there were three incidents in
which the police were called to homes for reports of loud parties.
“At these three incidents, gunfire
erupted,” he said. “Everyone was very fortunate that no one was struck.”
The Powder Springs Police are now taking
a very aggressive approach to controlling these problems.
“Beginning immediately we will have
SWAT team members walking in pairs of two in some neighborhoods,” he said.
“We are going to be taking an aggressive approach to control these
parties before they get out of control.”
And what happens if the people involved
in these incidents are juveniles? According
to Chief Richardson, the Powder Springs Police Department will prosecute the
offenders to the fullest extent of the law and in many cases, the parents will
also be held responsible.
“We are going to make an effort to
start holding parents more accountable for their teen’s actions,” he said.
“It is not the responsibility of the police or the schools to raise
people’s children and parents are simply going to have to be more
accountable.”
Businesses throughout the area should
also know that the department will be partaking in an underage alcohol sting in
the near future.
“We will be targeting all city
businesses with alcohol licenses,” he said.
So enjoy your summer but make smart
choices and not poor choices that can end your summer fun very quickly.
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