The Athens-Clarke County Police Department is divided into four Divisions accountable to the Chief of Police:

Office of the Chief of Police

The Office of the Chief of Police is responsible for coordinating and managing the complete operation of the Department of Police Services. It reports to the Unified Government Manager. The Office of the Chief of Police is divided into several mission-specific sub-offices, similar to sections and units. These include:

• Office of Budget and Finance
• Office of Professional Responsibility
• Administrative Assistant to the Chief of Police
• Uniform Division
• Criminal Investigations Division
• Information Management Division
• Strategic and Professional Development Division

These offices essentially comprise the professional staff of the Office of the Chief of Police.

Capt. Phillip Silk is in charge of the Office of Professional Responsibility. He is responsible for investigating and coordinating the investigation of allegations of misconduct against members of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department. He is also responsible for recruiting new officers and assisting new officers through the hiring process. For information about open positions, contact Capt. Silk at 706-613-3888 ext. 318 or psilk@co.clarke.ga.us.

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Uniform Division

The Uniform Division consists of the men and women who patrol Athens-Clarke County and meet the public on a regular basis. They are required to wear the uniform of the department, and patrol in or out of marked police cars for high visibility. Through several special initiatives, uniformed officers also patrol on bicycles. The K-9 unit is also assigned to the Uniform Division. A majority of police reports, traffic citations, and other administrative reports are generated or initiated by this Division.

This Division comprises the "backbone" of the Department, to which all efforts of the other Divisions are eventually focused. The Uniform Division consists of:

• Precinct Captains
• Watch Lieutenants
• Watch Sergeants
• Senior Police Officers
• Police Officers
• Civilian Support Staff

The Uniform Division is split into four separate sections:

• East & West Patrol Sections
  • Day Watch
  • Evening Watch
  • Morning Watch

• Special Operations Section
  • Housing Unit
  • Weed & Seed Unit
  • East and West Athens COP Units
  • Hispanic Services

• Downtown Operations
  • Traffic Unit

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Criminal Investigations Division

The Criminal Investigations Division of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department is responsible for follow-up investigations of crimes committed in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia. The Division is currently under the command of Major Mark Sizemore. Captain Holeman serves as the division's Assistant Division Commander

The responsibilities for investigating crimes are assigned according to the type of crime involved. Areas of responsibility include: domestic violence, sex crimes, person crimes, financial crimes, burglary, auto theft, forensics and drug and vice.

Four lieutenants supervise the Division. Lieutenant Paul is currently in charge of the domestic violence and sex crimes units. Lieutenant Mark Durham is in charge of the Property Crimes Section, which consists of cases involving financial crimes, auto theft, and burglary. Lieutenant Mike McKeel is in charge of Person Crimes Unit, which consists of cases involving robbery, aggravated assault, and homicide. Lieutenant Hunsinger supervises the Drug and Vice Unit.

Three investigators presently man the domestic violence unit. They are responsible for follow up investigations on all domestic violence reports, misdemeanor and felony cases. The domestic violence unit currently receives a grant to assist in funding these investigative positions as well as to provide the detectives with training.

Three investigators presently man the sex crimes unit. They are responsible for cases involving adults and children. These cases include rapes, attempted rapes, child molestation, child abuse, stalking, peeping tom, and indecent exposures. The Athens-Clarke County Police Department utilizes a program referred to as a S.A.N.E. (Sexual Assault Nurses Examiner) program when working sexual assault cases. This ensures that a specially trained nurse examines the victim to obtain evidence and that the victim receives the assistance of the Sexual Assault Center of Northeast Georgia. Currently, Sergeant Richardson supervises both the sex crime detectives and the domestic violence unit.

The forensics and AFIS unit consists of a Sergeant, three detectives and one civilian employee. The forensics unit is responsible for processing crime scenes from entering autos to murders. Forensic detectives also process items found at crime scenes that require further analysis. AFIS stands for Automated Fingerprint Identification Search. Forensic detectives have the ability to compare high quality latent prints lifted from a crime scene to the known prints of offenders arrested throughout the State of Georgia. Sergeant Leedahl currently supervises the forensics unit.

There are currently five burglary detectives and three forgery detectives. The burglary detectives are responsible for all burglary investigations as well as felony theft investigations. The forgery detectives work white-collar crime including forgeries, embezzlements, financial transaction card theft/fraud cases, identity thefts, and other financial fraud cases. One financial crime detective is assigned to monitor local pawnshops to compare items taken in at pawnshops to items reported stolen. Sergeant Hammond supervises both the burglary and forgery detectives.

There are two-auto theft and two arson detectives. These detectives are responsible for all thefts involving automobiles including thefts of tires, entering autos, and all arson investigations. The detectives are active in the Georgia Auto Theft Intelligence Council sharing information with other agencies and receiving training in identifying and suppressing auto theft. Sergeant Hammond also supervises the auto theft unit.

There are currently five detectives assigned to robbery/homicide. These detectives are responsible for all felony person crimes other than sex crimes. These cases include murder, robbery, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and terroristic threats. Sergeant Gale and Sergeant Potter supervise the robbery/homicide unit.

The drug and vice unit consists of four detectives and two sergeants. These investigators work various drug cases from street level sales to long term federal cases. They are also responsible for vice cases such as prostitution and commercial gambling cases. Lieutenant Hunsinger and Sergeant Graham supervise this unit.

There are four secretaries assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division. The secretaries assist the public in contacting the appropriate detective who is assigned to their case.

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Information Management Division

The Information Management Division operates as two separate and distinct sections. This division is currently headed by Captain Mike Shockley.

The Division has a Records/Data Entry Section. The function of the Records Section is to maintain all current and historical police department files related to crime and traffic. These employees also handle all our walk-in customers, as well as our switchboard.

The Data Entry Section, in parallel with the Records Section, is responsible for the prompt and accurate entry of all reports generated by the department. Currently we are averaging 50,000 documents a year for processing. Their work is vital to the mission of the police department. Information is the key to prevention, deterrence, and investigations.

The Division is also staffed by a Computer Service Coordinator. This person is responsible for maintaining our LAN and communications between our LAN and our IBM mainframe computer. This position is critical to maintaining the computer systems and components necessary for us to effectively serve the public.

A Quality Control Supervisor manages the Computer Service Coordinator and the Records/Data Entry Section. The Quality Control Supervisor must coordinate all the information activities and keep the various systems running in sync with each other. If one system fails, the entire division must quickly resort back to a paper system. It is important to all three divisions that the Quality Control Supervisor keeps all systems running smoothly.

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Strategic and Professional Development Division

The Strategic and Professional Development Division is responsible for planning and organizing programs that assist the development of the police department. The Division is headed by Assistant Chief Brown . The duties of this division include communications (911 calls & dispatch) crime prevention, planning, public information, career development, accreditation and certification management, and the Office of Professional Standards.

This division consist of one Major, two Lieutenants, two Sergeants, five Senior Police Officers, one Police Officer, two civilian Neighborhood Service Officers, one Public Information Officer, and a civilian Police Planner.

Phillip Silk oversees career development. Lt. Strickland, Sgt. Gregory, and Senior Police Officer Malueg work in this unit to coordinate basic and advanced training for the police department. This includes training for new recruits as well as experienced officers. Sgt. Gregory oversees the 8-week New Officer Basic Course and the 15-week Police Training Officer Program for new personnel after they complete the 10-week Georgia police academy.

The Crime Prevention Unit attempts to inform citizens of important crime trends that may affect them as well as tell people how to avoid being victims of crimes. The Crime Prevention Unit operates a reverse 911 system that allows them to contact specific geographic areas about events in their neighborhood.

Major Carter Greene is responsible for ensuring the police department maintains its state and federal accreditation. He is also responsible for various projects such as building and maintaining the police department's web site and the Citizens Police Academy.

Communications, which is headed by Director Keith Kelley, is staffed by a director, six shift supervisors at two per shift, and twenty-six communications officers. The Communications Section is vital to our public safety mission and officer safety, operating seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day.

Chris Stratton is the police department planner. He works to find grants and areas of funding for the police department. He also maintains crime statistics for the police department in order to identify crime trends.

Hilda Sorrow is the Public Information Assistant. She is responsible for coordinating information between the police department and the media.

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