By Jeff Rader
Commissioner Jeff Rader along with dedicated county public safety officers hosted a public safety community meeting at Peachtree Baptist Church on Monday, March 23rd in response to the recent brutal attack of a jogger on nearby Southland Vista Court. Over one hundred citizens came to hear from Deputy Chief G.R. Horner and Captain T. F. Lane, Sergeant S. Henry, MPO J. A. Obester, Detective Sergeant Fonseca, and public education specialist Janeane Hightower, Neighborhood Watch Program. Chief Assistant Solicitor-General Nicole Marchand was also in attendance.
After a general welcome and over view, Commissioner Rader turned the meeting over to the public safety team. Crimes of this nature are highly unusual in this area; the motive behind this crime is not known at this time. However, details of the crime which are known are that the perpetrator was an unidentified male wearing a ski mask and gloves and utilized a knife to inflict wounds when the victim tried to fight back.
The crime team emphasized several key factors for everyone to practice:
* We live in an urban area. Utilize your 6th sense to activate a heightened awareness of surroundings.
* If you question yourself in doing something alone, call a friend.
* Don’t walk or run alone; take your pet or go with a friend.
* Running groups are being formed in the community. Go to www.bigpeachrunningco.com to join broader area running group or use this link briarvista-neighborhood@googlegroups.com to join local running group.
* Call 911 while a suspicious person/vehicle is in your view.
* Run in high visibility, well lit areas; avoid isolated paths or streets.
* Wear reflective clothing.
* Please don’t utilize ear buds or headphones when exercising outside. They block the possibility which you have of hearing with advance notice
We are a part of the DeKalb County Public Safety Department Center and North Precinct. Major Lionel Higdon manages a terrific team of officers at Center Precinct and Major D.B. Calhoun commands the fine officers at North. For accurate and timely crime data information, log on to DeKalb’s innovative mapping system -
CRIMETRAC at http://www.crimemapping.com/map/ga/dekalbcounty.
Non emergency dispatch number is 678-937-2852 or 678-406-7929.
For specific service information:
Crime Prevention 770-724-7616
Criminal InvetigationAuto 770-724-7650
Financial fraud 770-724-7700
Narcotics 770-322-2500
Special victims 770-724-7710
Copies of Police Reports 770-724-7740
Code Enforcement 770-724-7940
