When Athens-Clarke police received a 911 call shortly after 1 a.m. on April 24 about a man breaking into a car, an officer responded only to find the thief had disappeared into the night.
The suspect, in his hurry to escape when surprised by the vehicle s owner, had run out of his shoes, which were left behind.
Officer Craig Turner summoned to assist the nightshift officers arrived with his K-9 partner, Bruno, an almost 3-year-old German shepherd trained in tracking, drug detection and suspect apprehension.
An officer on scene had “secured one shoe and we took the other shoe with us on the track. Essentially, it’s a scent article,” said Turner, a member of the police department’s K-9 unit, which has two other dogs. The unit officially began operating in July 2020.
Following the Derek Chauvin trial verdict, a handful of Athens officials offered responses, with some saying there is more work to do.
“The verdict in the trial of the man who brought a premature end to George Floyd’s life demonstrates that nobody is above the law, and that acting as a public employee is no shield for injustice when a crime is committed,” Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz said.
“As we continue to mourn the loss of George Floyd, we can embrace the widespread recognition that every instance of racial oppression must be replaced by opportunity,” said Girtz. “For just as small rivulets become streams and rivers that flow to the ocean, every small provision of dignity will contribute to our growth into a nation with a true foundation of equal justice for all.”
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COVID response update
The data, presented by ACC Manager Blaine Williams, showed an overall decline in new COVID-19 infection rates since February in Clarke County and among ACC government employees, consistent with state and nationwide numbers.
Williams said over 250 ACC employees in the tier 1A+ category for vaccine priority, which includes first responders and people over 65, have now been vaccinated.
District 3 Commissioner Melissa Link asked Williams if any county employees were hesitant to receive the vaccine, and asked if the county could require its eligible employees to receive it. Williams said itâs likely that not all eligible county employees have taken it since the county cannot require them to be vaccinated.
Spruill and Pittsburgh s Jason Lando were the two finalists out of 35 candidates the city considered.
Mayor Michael O’Connor announced his selection on a live video feed on the city’s website, saying it was approved unanimously by the five aldermen on the council during a closed session earlier in the day.
Spruill, chief in Athens for about two years, is a veteran of about 33 years in law enforcement. Spruill grew up in Richmond, Va., and once served 27 years on the Alexandria, Va., police force.
When he became a finalist for the Frederick job, Spruill told The Frederick News-Post that the “pandemic has found him wanting to live closer to his family. Normally, he’d hop on a plane to see his fiancé and grandchildren, but COVID-19 has made that option less desirable.”