InTucker Magazine

On the Beat with Lt. Berg

Lt. J.W. Berg is Tucker’s liaison to the DeKalb County Police Department and can be contacted by email at jwberg@dekalbcountyga.gov or by phone at (678) 597-9040.

In the last few “On the Beat” articles, I spent a good amount of time talking about our department’s incredible human resources. From our newer Tucker Precinct police officers, such as award-winning oboist Jumi Lee (November 2021), to our hard-working detectives and support personnel in the Tucker Precinct Criminal Investigative Division (January 2022), I come to work every day feeling lucky to toil along with such a great group of people. 

I also feel very fortunate that our department has provided us with the best in modern technology. Just a few year ago, for example, we upgraded our Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. A CAD system is what most police departments nationwide use to dispatch and manage their public safety resources. Beginning with a 911 call, an incident is created in a CAD system then it is quickly sent to a police or fire department dispatcher. The dispatcher then locates the nearest available unit and assigns them the call.

Our current CAD system is state of the art and includes several features that help us more efficiently and effectively handle our calls. With embedded GPS tracking in every police vehicle, this enables the dispatchers and the front-line police supervisors to ensure the closest unit to a particular call is dispatched. The CAD system also allows the dispatchers and police supervisors to easily see the specific comments on every call, any subsequent updates to that call and the amount of time that a particular incident has been pending. All of this information allows us the ability to quickly reassess and reevaluate where our officers are most needed.

For the responding police officer, our CAD system also has a good number of features that help them be safer and smarter when responding to a 911 call. When dispatched, the officer can now see a history of the particular location by clicking on a hyperlink that shows them previous calls at the same address. This information can be invaluable, for example, when a call gets dispatched as a “burglary in progress”, and previous calls at the location have shown the homeowner may be suffering from mental illness and has called in a “burglary” on numerous occasions. This historical information can also be valuable when responding to incidents of domestic violence where previous calls have shown an allegation of abuse or perhaps the use of a weapon. Obviously, how we respond to a call can be upgraded, or downgraded, based on this information.

Our CAD system also allows us to check individuals and vehicles quickly and easily in the databases of the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC). These two databases, managed by the FBI and GBI respectively, contain information on open arrest warrants, stolen vehicles, missing persons, sex offenders, and other important criminal justice information. Knowing a person has an outstanding warrant, for example, allows our officers to make better, more informed decisions when responding to a call involving our citizens. It is important to note, however, that this criminal justice information is highly regulated by both state and federal authorities. Any misuse of this information by an officer can be punishable by a fine and/or a criminal charge.

Interestingly, our advanced CAD system, one that covers all of DeKalb County, is based in right here in the City of Tucker at our police headquarters (1960 West Exchange Place). If you do have the need to call 911, the call taker you speak with will quickly collect the appropriate information, enter it into our system and help will soon be on the way. Our modern CAD system in DeKalb County is reliable, efficient and is indeed a valuable resource in helping us do our job.

Georgia Laws to Know in 2022

O.C.G.A. 16-5-20 Simple Assault. The law reads in part:
“… Any person who uses a computer or computer network with knowledge that such use is without authority and with the intention of: (1) Deleting or in any way removing, either temporarily or permanently, any computer program or data from a computer or computer network; (2) Obstructing, interrupting, or in any way interfering with the use of a computer program or data; or (3) Altering, damaging, or in any way causing the malfunction of a computer, computer network, or computer program, regardless of how long the alteration, damage, or malfunction persists shall be guilty of the crime of computer trespass…”

NOTE: In this more modern law, the sections we see most often deal with computer “trespass” and “invasion of privacy”, often where the victim’s accounts such as Facebook or Instagram have been compromised, sometimes by a known suspect such as an ex-husband or ex-wife. While not an easy crime to investigate, when a suspect can be identified the penalties are harsh – up to 15 years in prison and a fine of $50,000, if convicted.