Top, Cobb County Police Officer Philip Cronin
and another officer check a threat report July 7.
Below, Cpl. E.D. Smith takes part in a drug
seizure. Middle right, Cronin and Officer M.W.
Swift inventory the contents of a vehicle after
its owner is arrested.

Cobb County Police Officer Philip Cronin
helps Austell resident Michael Jones push
his stalled car out of the intersection of
Factory Shoals Road and Six Flags Drive July 7.

Nothing ordinary in working the beat

By Gary A. Witte
CobbLine Staff

When a slow day at work can mean anything from pushing a stalled car out of traffic to helping with a felony-level drug seizure, you might be a Cobb County police officer.

And the wide range of job requirements call for a unique assortment of gear.

The patrol car serves as a mobile office for eight hours a day, if not more. A laptop computer mounted on the dashboard and a printer hidden in the armrest help track calls, write reports or issue tickets.

The trunk typically contains other types of hardware – a shotgun, a rifle or both – for more dangerous tasks.

Having spent nearly four years patrolling south Cobb County, Officer Philip Cronin said he believes every aspect of policing has a sizable impact on the public.

“It’s easy to get jaded,” he said of the work. “What’s become humdrum to us is really a big deal to people.”

Few officers would consider Precinct 2 boring on a routine basis. The south Cobb area, which includes Austell, Mableton, Powder Springs and the Interstate 20 corridor, has one of the highest emergency call rates in the county.

Senior Shift Sgt. Jeff Perry said he believes working the evenings in Precinct 2 for two years is the equivalent of working five years in another zone.
He praised his officers’ professionalism, skill and their ability to handle tough situations.

“They know what to do and I’m happy to let them do it,” Perry said.

The shift runs from afternoon until late evening, which brings with it an even higher volume of calls at the already busy precinct. During each shift, officers are assigned to patrol certain areas.

“Some days can be pretty bland,” Cronin said. “Some days it’s nonstop.”

One recent Thursday, Cronin was assigned as the central car, meaning he would backup the officers in each beat. For the next eight hours, he constantly drove throughout the precinct, rarely stopping for anything that didn’t involve public safety or law enforcement. During this time, Cronin listened to a lot of stories.

There was the woman who said her Texas tag was current, even though the year portion of her sticker had apparently been scraped off. There were the half-dozen people practicing on the official driver’s license course who said they didn’t see the “no practicing” sign.

There was the man who, when stopped, offered a friend’s license claiming it was his.

Another man apparently tried to scrape the “ID only” from his identification card to pretend it was a driver’s license.

One driver earned a measure of appreciation when, after being pulled over for running a stop sign, he readily admitted his license was suspended.

“I hate it when people lie,” Cronin said. “I just wish they’d be honest. It’s nonstop.”

Even when no lying is involved, there can be guilt by omission. For instance, when a crop of marijuana plants were discovered in the woods behind an apartment complex that evening, no one seemed to want to claim ownership.

The nine plants were each about five feet tall, set in black plastic containers arranged in the woods behind one of the apartment buildings. An assortment of empty water jugs lay nearby in the pine straw.

Cobb Officer J.M. Massengill found the hidden plants when he was checking the area because of a burglary call at the complex. Cpl. E.D Smith, Officer M.P. English and Cronin, after contacting the drug unit, uprooted them.

“Each plant is a felony,” Cronin said when asked about their value. There were no arrests, but the marijuana was hauled off to be destroyed.

The men and women who handle evenings in Precinct 2 have worked together about a year now, Cronin said. Many graduated from the same class at the police academy and they occasionally go out to eat as a group after their shift is done.

“Any time you’re in some high stress stuff, you learn to depend on each other,” he said.

The teamwork showed as each officer moved quickly to back the others up during traffic stops and help one another during incident calls.

It’s this kind of camaraderie that Cronin appreciates most about a job he has sought since childhood. His workplace is not far removed from his youth, having grown up in Powder Springs. Initially, Cronin planned to go into federal law enforcement, but decided he didn’t want to move.

“It was not hard finding my way around here,” he said of joining the Cobb County Police Department.

During the odd moments that officers aren’t going to or coming from somewhere, there’s always a job to do. Cronin used his radar device regularly, checking the speed of oncoming traffic. At stoplights, he randomly checked tags through the mobile data transmitter, looking for violations.

Meal breaks are sometimes a luxury. Officers no longer go off the clock when they eat. Instead, their fellow officers help cover the territory and the radio is constantly on if they are needed.

“I’d say once a week you get one of those days when you don’t even get a chance to stop,” Cronin said.

Occasionally during the Thursday shift, residents even thanked the officers. A woman expressed her appreciation for their quick response. A man shook Cronin’s hand for his help moving a stalled car out of a busy intersection.

Cronin said when he was young, his mother once called the police about a potential prowler. An officer came out, checked around the house and left. It was a routine call to the officer, but not to her.

“She told people for years how good that made her feel,” he said.

Staff Reports

The Supreme Court of Georgia brought a historical moment to a new building when it listened to oral arguments at the Cobb County Superior Courthouse on July 18.

Each year, the court travels outside Atlanta to hear cases so the judicial process is more accessible to the public.

“This is an historic event in the illustrious 178-year history of our county,” Superior Court Chief Judge Robert E. Flournoy III, said.

“We are supremely, pun intended, honored and excited to host the justices in our beautiful new courthouse.”

The recently opened seven-story Cobb courthouse near the downtown Marietta Square was funded through a voter-approved special local option sales tax.

Recently, the courthouse earned LEED gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and sets the criteria for defining “green” buildings. The new courthouse is the largest LEED gold certified building in the Southeast.

The 229,000 square foot building contains 11 courtrooms and a seventh floor for future growth.

The new building provides state-of-the-art security and a larger jury assembly room.

During the July 18 hearing, the court swore in a group of new attorneys and heard oral arguments concerning two separate cases.

Many different animals will be available
for adoption at the Aug. 6 event.

Staff Reports

Cobb County will host the first of several “Adopt-A-Thon” events on Saturday, Aug. 6, as part of an effort to save the lives of stray and abandoned animals.

The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Cobb County Animal Control shelter, located at 1060 Al Bishop Drive, Marietta.

It will feature vendors, food, animal rescue groups, police K-9 demonstrations, raffles, special adoption rates and a chance to meet the new on-staff veterinarian.

Through community support and online voting, Cobb County Animal Control recently became one of the national finalists in the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals’ “Save More Lives” Challenge.

Each of the 50 qualifying animal shelters is required to save a minimum of 300 more lives August through October than it did over the same period in 2010. The contest runs until the end of October.

“We figured it gave us an opportunity to do something new,” Animal Control Division Operations Manager Don Bruce said. “Our whole goal is to get more animals out of here – to get more animals adopted.”

A $100,000 grand prize will be awarded for the biggest increase in lives saved; $25,000 for the second biggest increase; $20,000 for the biggest increase in each of the five regions and a $25,000 community engagement award, according to the ASPCA.

Should Cobb County Animal Control win, the money would be used to further help with animal adoptions, Bruce said.

The contest has brought with it more public participation in Cobb County Animal Control’s programs, even resulting in a six-person committee to help organize and drive the effort.

The committe includes a representative from an animal rescue group, as well as members of Animal Control’s advisory board.

“The whole community – from (the Board of Commissioners) on down – has been supportive,” Bruce said. “The ultimate goal of this is to save more lives.”

Adopt-A-Thon events will be held 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 10, and Saturday, Oct. 8, as well. For more information on the event, or to make a secure donation, visit cobbcounty.org/animalcontrol.

The Windy Hill-Macland Road Connector officially
opens Aug. 10.

Staff Reports

The Cobb County Board of Commissioners and Cobb Department of Transportation will host a ribboncutting of the new $51 million Windy Hill Road-Macland Road Connector 11 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 10. The event will be held at Jim R. Miller Park, 2245 Callaway Road. The 2.1 mile connector – which runs from Macland Road at Powder Springs Road to Windy Hill Road – is one of the many projects funded through the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax passed by voters in 2005.

The limited access road is designed to help alleviate traffic congestion in west Cobb County. For more information, call 770-528-3692 or go to cobbdot.org.

Staff Reports

Outdoor grilling is one of the most popular ways to cook food. But, a grill placed too close to anything that can burn is a fire hazard. Grills can also be very hot, causing burn injuries.
Cobb Fire and Emergency Services staff offer tips from the National Fire Protection Association to help keep families safe.

Propane and charcoal grills should only be used outdoors. More than half of home grill structure fires begin on either a courtyard terrace or patio, or an exterior balcony or open porch, so the grill should be place well away from the home, deck railings and out from under eaves and overhanging branches.

Keep children and pets away from the grill area and never leave the grill unattended.

Charcoal grills
If you used a starter fluid, use only charcoal starter fluid and never add charcoal fluid or any other flammable liquids to an already burning fire.

Keep charcoal fluid out of reach of children and away from heat sources.
When finished grilling, let coals completely cook before disposing in a metal container.

Propane grills
Check the gas hose for leaks before using it for the first time each year. Apply a light soap and water solution to the hose. A propane leak will release bubbles.

If your grill has a leak, by smell or soap bubble test, and there is no flame, turn off the gas tank and grill. If the leak stops, get the grill serviced by a professional before using it again.

If the leak does not stop, call the fire department. If you smell gas while cooking, immediately get away from the grill and call the fire department. Do not move the grill.
For more information, visit nfpa.org/education.

Staff Reports

The K-9 unit is a vital part of the Cobb County Police Department’s efforts to protect the community. The department recently established an account to accept donations for the K-9 unit and these donated funds will help ensure the unit’s continued success. Police canines perform a broad range of essential functions, including patrol activities, narcotic detection and bomb detection.

Donations will go toward the replacement cost when a canine retires, veterinarian expenses and other expenses associated with the maintenance and well-being of the dogs. For example, replacing one canine costs about $12,000. Donations can be sent to: Cobb County K-9 Fund, Cobb County Police Department, 140 North Marietta Parkway, Marietta, GA 30060 or made online at cobbcounty.org/animalcontrol.

Staff Reports

Cobb County District 4 Commissioner Woody Thompson will hold a Town Hall meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13 at the South Cobb Community Center. The event will offer the public a chance to hear the latest information about issues impacting their community and ask questions regarding their concerns.

The center is located at 620 Lions Club Drive off Veterans Memorial in Mableton. For more information, call 770-528-3312.

Staff Reports

Cobb residents are invited to take part in the annual Atlanta Hawks’ “Check It Out Reading Challenge,” running through Aug. 19. The program is for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. By reading at least five books, a participant can earn a free ticket to a regular season 2011-2012 Atlanta Hawks home game. After reading their selected books, participants can visit checkitoutreading.com to register for the program.

An email will be sent after Sept. 1 with reward details. A parent or guardian can redeem the tickets using the instructions in the email. Each student completing the program can choose among several Hawks-selected home games to use the free ticket. Additional tickets for families of the participants can be purchased at discounted prices. The last day to register online for the Reading Challenge is Aug. 19.

For more information, visit checkitoutreading.com or a Cobb County library.

Staff Reports

The Friends of the Cobb County Public Library System, a nonprofit group whose activities benefit the library system, has started a new ongoing book sale.

The sale is being held at most branches of the library system. Prices for the items, which are primarily paperbacks and popular hardback novels, start at $2. The purpose of this expanded book sale is to continue to raise money for the library system.

“The ongoing sales allow people to purchase items even if they’re not able to attend our large book sales,” according to sale coordinator Patty Latch. “It’s also a great chance for people to pick up a copy of a paperback to bring with them on vacation.”

The Friends organization has in the past held two large semi-annual book sales and several special book sales throughout the year. These sales will be scheduled as usual. All proceeds from the Friends’ book sales supplement the library system’s existing book budget.

While there is no projected end date for this expanded sale, it is dependent upon donations.

“We wouldn’t have a book sale at all without the support of our donors,” says Latch. “We are always accepting donations.” Book donations are tax deductible and can be dropped off at any branch of the Cobb County Public Library System.

For more information about the Friends of the Library, please visit www.cobbcat.org/Friends.html or call Patty Latch at (770) 528-2342.

CobbLine Staff

Tax bills are mailed on Aug. 15 and payment is due within 60 days to avoid late charges. Tax bills, Homestead Exemption applications, year round on-line bill pay and detailed tax information is available at www.cobbtax.org. Payments must be received or U.S. postmarked by October 15, 2011. Metered postage is not accepted as timely proof of mailing.

CobbLine Staff

The Cobb County Extension Service will host Diabetes Self Management Classes each month though November, starting on Friday, Aug. 19. The classes, which run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., are taught by licensed dietitians, registered nurses and certified diabeties educators. Those interested in attending should contact the Diabeties Association of Atlanta at 404-527-7150 (ext. 114) to determine the fee. Medicare and some insurances accepted. A self-pay fee and sliding scale available to those without insurance. The classes will be held at the Cobb County Extension Office, 678 South Cobb Drive, Suite 200, Marietta.

CobbLine Staff

Homeowners have until April 1, 2012 to apply for Homestead Exemptions for that tax year. Applications not received by the deadline will be processed and applied the following year. The applicant must occupy the property and their name must appear on the deed in order to qualify. Homeowners must apply for all exemptions for which they are eligible; exemptions are automatically renewed thereafter unless there is a change in ownership or eligibility. Homeowners must notify the Tax Commissioner’s office if they are no longer eligible for an exemption. It is not necessary to reapply if the home has been refinanced. Most new property owners will be mailed a tax exemption brochure after the purchase. Applications must be received or U.S. postmarked (metered postmark not accepted as proof of timely mailing) by the filing deadline to be considered timely. Detailed tax information is available at www.cobbtax.org.

The Annual Report is now available online at cobbcounty.org/annual-report/.


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