and By JOHN THOMPSON

[email protected]

Despite some rumors to the

contrary, two county officials strongly deny there are any plans or intentions

for making the Fayette County Marshal's Office into a de facto county

police department.

A study of one month's recent

state court data shows no major increase in traffic arrests by uniformed

marshals, who work for the county commission, not for the Fayette County

Sheriff's Department.

The examination shows that

while the Fayette County Sheriff's Department cited 435 drivers in the

past month for traffic-related offenses, the marshals ticketed only nine

drivers. The marshal's office provides security at county properties and

also enforces county ordinances, which includes writing citations for

violating those ordinances.

Traffic patrol is the job of

the sheriff's department, but there are some instances in which a traffic

stop is necessary, said Jack Krakeel, who supervises the marshal's department

under the newly-created division of public safety for Fayette County.

He has headed the county's Emergency Services for years, which includes

firefighters and medics.

"If they observe a traffic

offense that endangers the public, then yes," a marshal will make

a traffic stop, Krakeel said. "I don't want someone calling me and

asking why we didn't prevent a tragedy."

In such situations, stopping

the person would be considered a duty and obligation of the marshals,

who are all police officers certified by the state of Georgia, Krakeel

added.

"They're not patrolling

out there looking for traffic violations," Krakeel said. "...

If someone is crossing a double-yellow line on a curve or weaving erratically,"

the marshals will make a traffic stop to protect the public, Krakeel said.

As for the idea that the county

wants to create its own police department, Krakeel said he hasn't been

told anything of the sort.

"Nothing has been said

to me with respect to creating a law enforcement police department,"

Krakeel said.

A recent reorganization of

the county staff put Krakeel in charge of the marshal's department, the

911 center, the department of fire and emergency services and the animal

control department.

After the reorganization, officials

decided to issue new badges and patches with the "division of public

safety" logo. The idea was to create a unity among all the departments

under the division of public safety, Krakeel said.

There were very few badges

to hand out since most of the uniforms use the less-expensive patches,

Krakeel added.

The county did not order a

brand-new set of uniforms, which also would have been expensive, Krakeel

said.

The departments under the division

of public safety have been called upon to work together more under the

county's homeland security program, Krakeel added.

Krakeel said he was surprised

the issue of the new badges and patches would lead to such a "degree

of scrutiny." "It was just something we did for organizational

unity," Krakeel said.

County administrator Chris

Cofty said the reorganization was done to make the county's business flow

more efficiently. "I used to have to go through 28 separate reports

from department heads," Cofty said.

Early in the year, the county

placed the departments under six divisions, including the division of

public safety. "It certainly makes for easier meetings," Cofty

added.

The county administrator also

disputed any notion that marshals were patrolling the county's roads with

more zeal.

"Their job description

has not changed. They're enforcing the same laws they always have,"

he said. Since they are certified officers, though, they are able to enforce

laws out of their jurisdiction, he said.

"If they see a bank robbery

in progress, they can help prevent it," he said.

The marshal's department was

an administrative creation of the county commission in the 1980s and operates

under its authority. The sheriff's department, while primarily funded

through the county commission, is headed by the sheriff, a position set

up in the state's constitution and subject to public election every four

years. Randall Johnson is the current Fayette sheriff, first elected in

the 1970s.

Back

to News Home Page |