| Burglary is a problem in Atlanta like it is in all large | | | | police officer, you need to obey the laws yourself. |
| metropolitan areas, and though property crime was | | | | Applicants for a position on the police force will be |
| down slightly on a national level, it rose in Atlanta by | | | | disqualified if they have a significant criminal history, a |
| about 7% in 2008. In fact, Real Clear Politics used the | | | | somewhat recent DUI, or even a less than honorable |
| FBI's 2008 crime statistics to evaluate the least safe | | | | discharge from the military. So for the most part, if |
| cities in America, and Atlanta made it to #2 on this | | | | you make it into the police academy, you are an |
| dubious list. Clearly, we have some work to do here | | | | individual who has been on the right side of the law |
| to keep the crime rate down, and Atlanta locksmiths | | | | throughout your life, and that is what makes the |
| play a significant role in that effort. | | | | following story so strange. |
| When the citizenry hears about high crime rates, | | | | The Atlanta Journal Constitution is reporting that a |
| they want to know what is being done about it, and | | | | Gwinnett County police cadet has been arrested for |
| rightfully so. A lot of candidates for political office run | | | | burglary. A former neighbor called police when they |
| on a platform of being "tough on crime," and they | | | | spotted him lifting a PlayStation from a neighborhood |
| always vow to put more police officers on the | | | | house. The recruit was actually in his cadet uniform |
| streets. This may have some positive impact, but the | | | | when he was committing the burglary. The Gwinnett |
| recent economic woes have contributed to the crime | | | | County police were not pleased. |
| statistics in 2008. People who are out of work with a | | | | "The Gwinnett County police does not tolerate the |
| lot of time on their hands are much more inclined to | | | | actions of any of its members that may reflect |
| consider committing a crime than those of us who | | | | negatively on this department," said Cpl. David Schiralli, |
| are busy working and earning a good living. So the | | | | a spokesman for the department. |
| platitudes of the politicians may not always be | | | | Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. In the |
| addressing the real root causes of the problem. | | | | what-did-we-learn-from-this department, you have to |
| That having been said, every community needs good | | | | applaud the former neighbor who called the police for |
| police officers, and the police academies do a great | | | | keeping an eye out. A formal or informal |
| job of preparing aspirants for this difficult job. Cadets | | | | neighborhood watch program is one of the best |
| have to go through rigorous training programs before | | | | ways to prevent burglaries. It is certainly a good |
| they become full fledged members of the force, and | | | | thing that this cadet showed his true character |
| they must meet very stringent requirements to even | | | | before he made it onto the force. |
| be accepted into the academy. If you want to be a | | | | |