The Dade County Sheriff's Office stopped issuing arrest reports well before the current COVID-19 emergency, citing problems with technology. The last routine weekly arrest report the DCSO released to The Dade Planet was on Feb. 24.
Meanwhile, with Georgia's shelter-in-place order, the SO and city police have begun arresting motorists on a new charge: Violation of State of Emergency. At the county's daily crisis briefings, livestreamed from the Dade County Ga. Facebook page at 3 p.m. each day, Sheriff Ray Cross and Trenton Police Chief Christy Smith have made it clear that this charge is usually an add-on to other charges, when a suspect has already given local cops some other reason for the arrest.
But with the police's new ability to arrest citizens simply for being out and around, the SO's continued failure to release routine public-record arrest reports has gradually become a darker and darker concern for the Local Press. The problem is ongoing, and The Planet has petitioned the sheriff's office to try a little harder for transparency even in--maybe even especially in--these troubled times.
Meanwhile, though, The Planet importuned its favorite cop, Sgt. Chad Payne, who came through as usual with the following compilation of names and charges. Sgt. Chad has not included arrest dates, but he represents this as being a list of those arrested as of Wednesday under the new shelter-in-place laws.
Charles W Pittman (69 of Trenton, GA) (Trenton PD)
Violation of State of Emergency (38-3-7)
Georgia Resident has 60 days to Change Name/Address on License (40-5-33)
Mark D Meyers (62 of Largo, FL) (Dade County Sheriff’s Office)
Possession of Marijuana Less Than an Ounce (16-13-2)
Violation of State of Emergency (38-3-7)
Violation of Hands-free Law (40-6-241)
Driving on the Wrong Side of the Road (40-6-40)
Leah R Kelley (43 of Oneonta, AL) (Trenton PD)
Violation of State of Emergency (38-3-7)
Improper Lane Change (40-6-123)
Open Container Violation (40-6-253)
Dui Alcohol (40-6-391)
Dakota S Davis (26 of Trenton, GA) (Dade County Sheriff’s Office)
Violation of State of Emergency (38-3-7)
Pedestrian Under the Influence (40-6-95)
Larry A Harmon (67 of Cleveland, TN) (Dade County Sheriff’s Office)
DUI Endangering a Child Under 14 (40-6-391)
Violation of State of Emergency (38-3-7)
The Planet thanks Sgt. Chad effusively for the information, and promises its readers to resume publishing the regular weekly arrest just as soon as the sheriff's office resumes releasing it.
