Published: June 05, 2009 11:59 am      

Sheriff to Resaca Police Department: "Stay off our frequency"

A letter sent to the Resaca Police Department regarding the use of a radio frequency was not retaliation for a delayed vote on the status of the Resaca police department, according to both the Sheriff's office and Mayor Samuel Allen.

The letter, addressed to Resaca Police Chief Keith Pritchett stated, "effective at the close of business today, Friday, 29th May, 2009, the Resaca Police Department, it's officers, agents and employees are no longer authorized to use any official Gordon County Sheriff's radio frequencies. The Gordon County E911 staff as been advised of this directive as of this date.

"Additionally, the sheriff's office will no longer maintain any NCIC/GCIC files for your department, nor will the sheriff's office receive any legal actions for service from the Resaca Municipal Court. Records which belong to your Department will be returned to yourself or your designee.

"this Office will continue to offer the same service and protection other citizens of Resaca that we have always provided. We will always answer any emergency calls from Resaca. However, the sheriff's office can no longer perform the administrative functions of you(r) Department at the general expense of all the taxpayers of Gordon Count for which the City of Resaca should rightfully be responsible."

Chief Deputy Robert Paris said the decision to deliver the letter had been delayed because they were waiting to see what the City of Resaca planned to do with their police department. At a special meeting on Thursday, May 28, the City Council of Resaca voted to table a decision on the whether to close the department, cut back their services, or let it remain as is.

Once the decision was made to table it, Paris said they could wait no longer to deliver the letter. "This subject had come up before," said Mayor Samuel Allen. "It wasn't something new."

Allen added that while it would be easy to look at the measure as retaliatory, he believed Sheriff Mitch Ralston and Paris to be above that kind of behavior. "I don't feel like they would stoop to that level," said Allen.

Gordon County Commissioners discussed a request from the sheriff for a separate frequency for the sheriff’s office during their Tuesday, June 2 meeting. They agreed to purchase another frequency, but did not specify whether it would be for the sheriff’s office.

To be able to use a new frequency, the county would have to provide another console at the E-911 Center and two additional employee positions, according to E-911 Director Debbie Vance.

Paris said the volume of radio traffic from the sheriff's office alone justified the need for their own frequency and that the end of the letter stating that the office will continue to offer the same service and protection to Resaca would not change.

City of Fairmount police officers also have access to the sheriff’s office frequency at this point, along with parole officers and forestry department personnel working in conjunction with the county fire department.