I just want to say that I have known Marvin Cheatwood for over 20 years and He has always been a wonderful person. Always helpful when needed. I am very saddened to hear all of the rumors that are going around,Keep your chin up Marvin there are people that Love and Respect you.

I have read and am very disappointed by many of these posts. I was raised in the Cedartown (Polk County area). I agree with the post from one of the sites that says, “We all have a freedom of speech.” You are right, you do have a right to freedom of speech, HOWEVER, as an adult, or member of the Polk/Floyd County community you should take a stand and do whats right and protect the families and friends of these people. I understand where the statement, “they weren't thinking about the children or families involved when they did this..etc,” came from.. however once again.. it is our jobs as members of this community to do what is right, take the stand, and bring this community back together. It's insane at the amount of bashing of these men and officers have received; these people have FAMILIES, some of which have children. You speak so much of the “wrong-doing” that they have done in our community, yet your slander on these men and officers doesn't make our community look any better. I believe that if you've done the crime, you should pay the time.. however – these men are innocent until proven guilty. I also would like to ask many of you this question, “before you knew the involvement of these people, what was your opinion of them one week ago when none of this was known public?”, because I guarantee that many of you never would have said these horrible things. It is also a shame to me that you people say, “I've known this was going on for years, I can't believe they just now got them.. they deserve what is coming for them.. etc,” this makes you all wonderful outstanding parts of our community as well, huh? WRONG!! You speak of how our community has fallen apart, yet you have obviously taken NO steps of getting this problem solved before.. ! Everyone has to do their part in attempting to hold this community together, and you didn't do so well if you knew about it and never took the next step. As for the hiring process for the officers of Polk County.. NO ONE is perfect and there is no way to see that these men will make huge mistakes before they ever start their duty as an officer; just because there have been a few bad apples lately, doesn't mean that none of them are worthy of our support and trust as members of the community. Another point that I would like to bring up is, how everyone is saying .. “these men are horrible people, they don't deserve to be on our streets, put them away,” yet, I think we are all forgetting the horrible people that roam our streets everyday... the people that I am speaking in reference to are the Sex Offenders. These people roam your streets everyday and can possibly be threats to our communities again, yet I feel that a bigger deal is being made of the charges of these men. Once again, I am in NO way supporting what these men have “done” or been accused of, however, these men are innocent until proven guilty. Also, just for the record.. I am not a relative or close friend to any of the accused party.. however, I am a member of this community that believes we need to take the stand for our community!! Please help do your part in bringing this community back together, thank you! Every person and every family has skeletons in their closets, it just isn't every day that they are made public.. so who are we to judge?

“Be ye not the first to cast a stone”

“Judge not and thou shalt not be judged”

*it seems a lot of people have forgotten the written words of God*

I completely agree I pray for the families especially the children they will be the innocent ones in this whole process... the adults not directly involved were still indirectly involved... and its sad that there were no consciences here....when did mom's and dad's stop teaching their kids what values & morals...I just can't see raising my family that way...I am proud of the GREAT Officers we have (the legal ones) that do uphold the oath they took and are proud to wear the uniform they put on everyday....They risk their lives for their community every work day so thanks to all of them for all they do!!!!

I completely agree with you anonymous. I don't understand why people are not thinking about the consequences of their actions anymore. It's obvious that your actions will catch up with you. Have a great day,

POLO

It takes about two to three months to be hired on with a police department. You are required to do a drug test, as well as a polygraph test. They also do extensive back ground checks, and an agility test. You also do a psych evaluation, and at least two interviews.

The lack of funding has to do with cut backs within the departments. Several police departments (at one time) had a mileage issue. Like, they could only put x amount of miles on their patrol cars while they are on duty. That may not be the case now, but it was at one time. Also, polk county has been on a hiring freeze FOREVER. In Rockmart (not too long ago) they needed more officers, but weren't able to hire any due to the freeze. It's bad that the poor economy is floating over into our public safety areas. We do have some excellent law enforcement officials, and it breaks my heart that these bad seeds are making a poor reflection upon them.

Parkers, come to church with me on Sunday!

Bottom line it's just a really bad situation. It's very sad that people stoop to that level because they think they are "law exempt" or that they won't get caught.

I feel for the family members that are dredged into this. I'm sure a lot of them had no clue what was going on.

I'm not taking up for them because of the poor compensation. I'm saying you get what you pay for.Mediocre compensation will get some very good officers but, some very bad. Ethics is becoming an increasing problem in every occupation. Other occupations are lengthening the selection process to decrease the possibility of this problem. Maybe law enforcement should look into this same strategy. Thanks,

POLO

Amen, Vic! What a lame excuse, Polo! Isn't low income the reason for the majority of crime? I mean, you have some folks that commit crime to get rich off of the backs of others. (Like some of these folks!) A law enforcement officer is supposed to be above all of that. How can Cedartown prosper when we have criminals in law enforcement? The officers that do their job for the love of it and their community are to be commended. I personally want to thank them for being there. If you are reading this forum, and you are a good officer, THANK YOU!!

I agree that law enforcement recieves poor compensation for what is expected out of them. But they knew what they were going to get paid when they took the oath to serve the city or county. That is not a good excuse for the mis-conduct that is happening. You gave an oath saying you will protect and server the community. You need to uphold that oath instated of trying to figure out how to get easy money.

I completely agree with you anonymous except for you insulting previous comments grammar and spelling. Especially, when yours was just as bad with several fragments and grammatical errors. Haha! But, I do feel a major problem is the poor compensation that law enforcement receives for doing a job that I would certainly not want to do. They have a very important and dangerous job that deserves a lot more money and respect than they receive. The lack of funding is really a major problem that I hope can be eliminated soon or things will be worse. Have a great night,

Polo

Let's try spell checking and proof-reading before we post next time, shall we?

Tweetybird - Your all caps are the equivocal of yelling when you consistently use them. That really isn't necessary. It's down right rude.

The proper people are taking the steps needed in order to eradicate the drug problem in this area. Yes, it takes time and patience. It's very tedious work. They aren't going to say "hey, I got a secret! We're watching so and so across the street." You'll come home one evening, and not be able to get into your drive way so many cop cars are around. I lived literally 50 yards from a "meth house" and we continually called 911 and reported the goings on there. It just takes time. They are watching. Unless you don't report the goings on, and well, you're just helping the problem persist. We were unable to get out of our driveway when they finally "busted" the house.

The lack of education is a huge problem here. Maybe brushing up on your grammar might help you look a little less uneducated.

One also needs to take into consideration the budget cuts local law enforcement agencies are having to take. Funding is simply an issue. I know multiple RPD, APD, PCPD officers and they truly work hard. RPD just got a face lift with a new person in charge. Give him some time to get things rolling. It's sad that one bad seed spoils the whole bunch. Keep that in mind.

As far as your rude 911 dispatcher, next time request a name. Or if you still have the date and time that you called simply call (non-emergency) and ask to speak to the director. I am positive they are able to access call times.

Enforcer - I give you two thumbs up, and then some.

Tweetybird There is no need in typing all caps. That means you are yelling, so take a pill and cool off. I do in fact know all about Aragon, about what goes on in all the seasons on Walnut street, Oak street, and as a matter of fact, I probably know about all the streets and what goes on there. And for that "Meth Lab" that was 2 blocks from city hall. I was the first on the scene, and made the call to Bartow Fire, for their Hazmat Unit. So yeah, call me a smart ass if you want, I know more about whats going on around there than you ever will. If you don't like whats going on, get off your soapbox and make the call, request to speak to an officer in person, I can almost guarantee that if you call and complain enough that you will be heard. And if you haven't figured out how the system works yet, I'll let you in on a little secret. There's a pretty good chance the proper people are watching all these drug dealers, crack houses, and whatever else, but do you think that they are gonna knock on your door, and say, "hey there, just wanted to let you know we are watching all these crackheads, collecting evidence, and we're gonna make sure we include you on all the important stuff" Hell no, you aren't even gonna know they are there. The internet is very useful in finding information on how law enforcement works, and proper procedure, maybe you should take time out of your busy schedule of complaining on here about what you don't like, and look it up. Since Chief Dodd is cleaning out all the dirt, and bringing the county P.D a better name, you will see more things being done. I didn't comment about what you wrote to pick a fight with you, I have no time for that. But you need to get your information in order. The one thing you commented on was about the lack of education and high school drop outs. The education system in this county is one of the major things that needs fixing.

Hey, tweetybird. Please stop with the shouting. It is giving me a headache. FYI, typing in all caps is, in effect, shouting. It is rude and shows lack of class. Besides, when you shout everyone tunes you out so no one takes you seriously. You remind me of the ignorant people who try to shout down anyone who disagrees with them. They think that whoever is the loudest is the "rightest". It doesn't work that way. You also complain about a meth house near you, police not doing anything about loud vulgarity, and other problems. But you did NOT say anything about calling the police yourself. I have one thing to say about that. If you see a violation of the law it is your civic duty to call the proper authorities to turn them in. If you fail to do so then you are condoning it and permitting it to continue. In a nutshell, if you're not part of the solution then you're part of the problem!

FOR THE RECORD JUST TOLD YOU --- I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT YOU SAID ONES COMPLAING ARE THE ONES DOING WRONG ---WELL THAT WAS A DUMB REMARK - THE GOOD CITIZENS COMPLAINING WANT SOMETHING DONE AND NEVER SEE RESULTS - WE WANT GOOD THINGS FOR THE COMMUNITY WHICH SEEMS AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK AT THE MOMENT -

JUSTTOLDYOU - NO DOUBT YOU DON'T LIVE IN ARAGON, AND HAVE NEVER GONE DOWN WALNUT STREET ON A SUMMER NIGHT OR RODE UP OAK STREET WITH PEOPLE YELLING AND CURSING AT PEOPLE AND THE POLICE DEPT DOES NOTHING - SURE LOOKS LIKE I STRUCK A NERVE WITH YOU - UNDOUBTLY YOU CAN'T STAND THE TRUTH -YES IF SOMEONE IS SPEEDING THEY DESERVE A TICKET BUT THE CITIZENS ALSO DESERVE RESPECT AND PROTECTION - I HAVE MY FACTS STRAIGHT AND YES UNFORTUNATELY I DO LIVE IN ARAGON - IF CASHTOWN AREA IS SO CORRUPT WHY DOESN'T SOMEONE CLEAN IT UP?????????THE WORD I HAVE HEARD ALL THE COPS ARE AFRAID OF THE DEALERS - (FACT)THERE WAS A METH LAB JUST 2 BLOCK FROM THE NEW POLICE STATION AND CITY HALL -WHAT DO U THINK ABOUT THAT ???FOR THE CHILDRENS SAKE EVERY TOWN IN THIS SMALL COUNTY NEEDS TO BE CLEANED UP AND FAST - THERE IS MORE HIGH SCHOOL DROP OUTS IN THIS COUNTY THAT THE COUNTIES NEXT TO US - DON'T YOU WONDER WHY THAT IS?? INSTEAD OF USING PROFANTIY AT ME TAKE A GOOD LOOK AROUND AND QUIT BEING A SMART ASS AND DO SOMTHING CONSTRUCTIVE.

From personal experience, I can say that I understand reluctance to report crime or suggest that something be investigated. Being new to the area, I had the good conscience to speak out when I felt something was not appropriate. Since, I have had untrue statements made that were attributed to me, to the point that I was urged to attend another church! I can honestly say I never accused anyone of STEALING, yet that seems to be what happpened. Someone speculated that others were involved, but since I really don't know anyone well enough to say such a thing, it never came from me. Yet, I have been attributed with saying it .. I think because the person saying it doesn't want the repercussions to their own personal business and thought I was a good person to lay it on!

Based on my background, I have learned that situations are not always how they appear. But when others place trust in someone, that person should conduct himself with the highest integrity. Faced with many opportunities to be dishonest, I chose my reputation as far more valuable than any amount of money I could ever take. Unfortunately, when others are faced with opportunities, their situation and character may lead them down a different path.

I, too, have heard several stories about dishonest incidents involving police officers. I don't "file a report" because it's not my story to tell, and I don't blame anyone for being worried about the consequences.

That being said, I still respect law enforcement; I have quite a few friends who still work in areas of law enforcement and admire what they do. It's a shame that several have put their greed ahead of their families' respect and public trust; Polk County should be recognized for being a desirable place to live and raise a family, not for what our dishonest citizens do!

Gotta love the internet. No other place you can hide behind a computer and slander police departments and comment on how you know a officer is breaking the law and claim that you are an honest person but yet you can not call the chief and make a complaint. Be honest and law abiding and make the call.

Law enforcement in the North Georgia area is a joke. Especially the City of Rockmart. It is hard to understand how a person sworn to uphold the law can arrest and jail someone for doing something that the cop is doing himself. It is all about money. The tax monies used to fund Rockmart City Police is a waste. Kenny Dodd has a very hard time finding people fit to hire and is stuck with a bunch of morons. They make good enough money but there are no good moral honest hard-working people left. Every person has a responsibility to be honest and law-abiding. Then Chief Dodd will be able to find good cops and protect the people of Polk County as they should be protected. Public employees place themselves above evryone else. They have forgotten the words "To Protect and Serve"! Like the rude disrespectful burnt-out 911 operator. I don't know her name but she needs to be gone. She talks to citizens like dogs because she is in the "Clique"! As long as these folks feel like this there will never be effective law enforcement here. Everyone will just have to protect themselves and stand against the wrong. You CANNOT count on the cops!!!

Hey tweetybird, just for your information, the parts of Aragon that are over run by drugs, isn't even within the city limits. You must not know a whole lot about the area, or else you would know that. Cashtown area, and the areas of Portland Rd, that are notorious for drugs, are the responsibility of the Polk County PD, the Aragon Police does not have jurisdiction in those areas and only respond to them if requested by County PD. As for the speed traps, the signs are clearly marked with the speed limits, they sit right out in the open, so if your stupid enough to speed thru there, then go cry to someone else about getting a ticket. Do you hear about any fatalities or major wrecks happening within the city limits, No you don't and they bust the drunks nightly, plenty of DUI arrests are made. Next time you need to get your information correct before you get your ass in a knot and start running your mouth. There is a lot more that goes on in that city than you hear about. the ones complaining are the idiots that get caught doing something wrong.

Why they were investigating it should have driffed on over to Aragon and all their activities.Maybe DEA will clean up crack town of Aragon. It seems Polk Co. nor Aragon PD will. Aragon has become a breeding ground for drugs and drunks and break ins and thefts that is never solved. So what does that tell you. All they are interested in is higher taxes and speed traps so the high fines and pay their salaries.