ACE Unit

How do most criminals get to and from the scene of the crime? If you guessed "in a vehicle" you're right. Traffic enforcement is about more than just writing tickets... it's about catching criminals.

The officers dedicated to traffic and drug interdiction issues in Conyers are known as the ACE (Advanced Criminal Enforcement) Unit. Their goal: to keep the roadways safe and reduce the number of accidents through law enforcement and education.  The ACE Unit consists of several divisions including traffic, Marshals Unit, School Resource Officer and the K-9 Unit.

Two highly skilled K-9 units work to keep the streets of Conyers safe and drug-free. The Conyers Police Department's K-9 unit was formed in 1998 in response to the increased problems with drugs in the area. Since the unit's inception, the K-9's have located well over a million dollars in drugs and illegal currency.

Currently the unit is comprised of Officer Jess Dillard who is paired with K-9 Gunner and Officer Kyle McGlamery who is paired with K-9 Ricco.

Gunner and Ricco are both titled KNPV Belgian Malinois imported from Holland.  Both dogs are trained to detect the odeors of marijuana, methamphetamines, cocaine, and heroin. The dogs are also trained to track humans, conduct building searches, and apprehend violent offenders.

The K-9 Unit maintains the highest degree of national certifications provided by the North American Police Association (NAPWDA), and the K-9 Unit is on the front line in the war against drugs. If you are interested in requesting a K-9 demonstration for your local school, business or organization, please contact the Conyers Police Department.

Click here for interesting police related statistics for the City of Conyers.

City of Conyers Traffic Counts

Have you ever wondered what those black hoses stretched across the road are used for? They are placed there by the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) and are used to measure the amount of traffic that travels on the roadway.

Here are some recent statistics on Average Daily Traffic counts for highly traveled intersections in the City of Conyers:

You can find more of these numbers and greater detail at the GDOT website: http://www.dot.state.ga.us.

Real Criminals

By Lieutenant Harry McCann

As a law enforcement officer, our duty is to enforce traffic laws. I have heard on more than one occasion during a traffic stop, "Why don't you go look for the real criminals and stop harassing us law abiding citizens?"

Well, quite honestly you broke the law or you would not have been stopped. This is not to say that everyone that is stopped by the police are "criminals". Simply stated, you committed a moving violation. We have a duty to try and keep the roads safe for you and your family. We are able to accomplish this by conducting traffic stops and educating the motoring public on the laws of this state.

Numerous traffic stops are conducted daily and during some of these stops "real criminals" are apprehended. On numerous occasions people that are wanted for various crimes (i.e., murder, rape, armed robbery), are apprehended during traffic stops for miscellaneous offenses.

Just recently, right here in the City of Conyers, a traffic stop was made for a tag violation. During that stop, the three subjects occupying the vehicle were found to have just committed an armed robbery. Other traffic stops have yielded high quantities of illegal drugs and large amounts of U.S. currency that were being transported to purchase illegal drugs.

The next time you think about the "real criminals," ask yourself this question, "How do real criminals get from point A to point B?" Also ask yourself, "How can the police catch these 'real criminals'?"

Buckle Up....... It's the Law

The simple act of buckling up could increase your chances of surviving a potentially fatal crash from 45 to 73 percent. This and other statistical information can be found at the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

In the year 2003, there were a total of 42,643 fatalities reported across the United States as a result of traffic accidents, as compared to 41,821, in the year 2000. According to NHTSA, seat belts, air bags and child restraints saved a total of 14,903 lives, compared to 13,789 in 2000. It is believed that if all passengers had been wearing their seatbelts, another 6,081 lives could have been saved in 2003. In the future, could one of those 6,081 lives be you or someone you know?

In 2004, Georgia was fourth behind California, Texas and Florida in number of fatalities by State.  Georgia suffered a total 1,634 fatalities in 2004.

Some people believe that wearing a seatbelt should be their choice rather than the law. Besides loss of life, also consider the cost to society... In the year 2000, it cost $26 billion for those people who chose not to wear their seatbelts. Those costs came in the form of medical care, lost productivity and other injury related expenses.

Here's the law regarding seat belt usage:

• Any child fiveyears of age and younger shall be restrained by a child passenger restraining system approved by the United States Department of Transportation and said restraint system must be installed and used in accordance with the manufacturers directions.
  • Any such child weighing at least 40 pounds may be secured by a lap belt when
    • The vehicle is not equipped with both lap and shoulder belts; or
    • Not including the driver’s seat, the vehicle is equipped with one or more lap and shoulder belts that are being used to properly restrain other children
• Any occupant of the front seat of a passenger vehicle shall be restrained.
• Any minor, age 17 years and younger, anywhere within a passenger vehicle, to include pickup trucks, shall be restrained. For any minor failing to comply, the driver will be issued a citation.

Remember, stay safe - buckle up!

Class D Drivers License: The Safest Start for our Teen Drivers

To obtain a Class D license you must be at least 16 years of age and for a period of at least 12 months, had a valid instruction permit or "learner's permit".

After having obtained a Class D license, the following restrictions apply:

• The license holder shall not drive a motor vehicle on the highways of this state between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 AM.
• The license holder shall not drive a motor vehicle when more than three other passengers in the vehicle who are not members of the driver's immediate family are less than 21 years of age.
• During the six month period following the issuance of the license, the license holder shall not drive a motor vehicle when any other passenger in the vehicle is not a member of the driver's immediate family.

The license holder will be eligible for a Class C license at the age of 18 only if they have a valid Class D license which is not under suspension. They can not have been convicted of any of the following offenses: DUI, hit and run, racing, fleeing and attempting to elude, aggressive driving, reckless driving, unlawful passing of a school bus, improper passing on a hill or curve, or 24 mph or more over the speed limit, within the 12 months prior to making the application for a Class C license.

There are several other reasons that a student may lose their license.  A couple of these include dropping out of school or missing more than ten days.  Another reason that you could lose your license is because you were suspended from school.  See the Official Code of Georgia Annotated 40-5-22 for further details.

Stay Safe-Buckle up.