Winterville Police Department - Winterville, Georgia

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Announcements

Winterville Residents Calling for Police Assistance

Posted by: Ray on 06/13/2007 01:32 AM

If you need police assistance for an emergency please call 911, If a Winterville Police Officer is available they will be dispatched immediately to your emergency. If they are busy or otherwise unavailable an Athens-Clarke County Police Officer will be dispatched to handle your emergency.

Routine Non-emergency calls for service should be directed to (706) 546-5900 and either a Winterville patrol officer or an Athens-Clarke County patrol officer will be dispatched as they become available.

The only calls that should be dialed directly to the Winterville Police Department number, are calls of an administrative nature; the response to which may be delayed by up to 24 hours.

Winterville Officers spend very little time at the station during their shift. It is the policy of our agency to be available and engaged in active patrol operations. Therefore, if you need to get in touch with one of our officers please direct your request for contact through the ACCPD Central Communications dispatchers using the Non-emergency number. They will contact the officer if they are working.

About the Winterville Georgia Police Department

Posted by: Ray on 03/24/2006 01:18 AM (Read: 1103)

Welcome to the Winterville Police Department's official web site.

You can contact the department at (706) 742-5295 or by clicking here

Please feel free to check out the photos link and return often.

The Winterville Police Department is a small agency inside Athens-Clarke County Georgia. The department is comprised of 14 sworn police officers. (4 Full time and 10 reserve officers.) The average officer has at least 15 years of Law Enforcement experience and 2000 hours of P.O.S.T. Advanced Training.

Chief Vizzini Attends FBI Luncheon

Posted by: Ray on 04/14/2008 04:47 AM (Read: 116)

Recently Winterville Police Chief Mike Vizzini was a guest at an Atlanta area FBI Luncheon which was held on April 8, 2008. Chief Vizzini was able to discuss Homeland Security and other issues with several other attendees in an informal environment.

Among those Chief Vizzini exchanged were the Atlanta FBI Field Office’s Special Agent In Charge (SAIC) of the Counterterrorism Unit and the SAIC of the office’s InfraGard Unit.

InfraGard is a United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Public-private partnership that began in the Cleveland, Ohio, Field Office in 1996. It was a local effort to gain support from the information technology industry and academia for the FBI's investigative efforts in the cyber arena.

The program expanded to other FBI Field Offices, and in 1998 the FBI assigned national program responsibility for InfraGard to the former National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC) directed by RADM James B. Plehal USNR and to the FBI's Cyber Division in 2003.

Since 2003, InfraGard Alliances and the FBI said that they have developed a TRUST-based public-private sector partnership to ensure reliability and integrity of information exchanged about various terrorism, intelligence, criminal, and security matters. It supports FBI priorities in the areas of counterterrorism, foreign counterintelligence, and cybercrime.

Winterville Hosts Speed Detection Device Operator Certification Course

Posted by: Ray on 03/25/2008 08:57 PM (Read: 213)

On March 13th Chief Mike Vizzini welcomed more than 23 law enforcement officers from around the state to a day long LIDAR operators course. That all day training session was held at our own Winterville Train Depot classroom. WPD part time Officer Griffin Attabery, a GA POST instructor and also a Sergeant with the Oconee County Sheriff's Office Traffic Unit, taught the class of new speed detection device operator candidates.

Attendees from Winterville PD included Chief Vizzini, Reserve Capt. Wayne Gabriel, Part time Officer Al Figueroa, part time Officer Nick Jenkins and Chaplain Ray Fairman.

To read more about this training click "Read More" to the right

Chaplain Deploys to NIU Campus Shooting

Posted by: Ray on 03/04/2008 01:13 PM (Read: 277)

On February 21st our police department's chaplain was requested to respond to the Northern Illinois University campus to support the students, faculty, staff, community and volunteers who were deeply impacted by the events that unfolded on February 14th, a Valentines Day that will long be remembered by those who live and attend school in DeKalb Illinois. On that fateful day, a former student at NIU walked into Cole Hall and began shooting at those attending a lecture. When the shooting stopped, five students were dead and many others suffered physical wounds. Classes were suspended and most students went home for a week, though most foreign students remained in the immediate area for financial reasons.

Click on Read More to continue

Winterville Recognizes the 2008 Police Officer Of The Year

Posted by: Ray on 02/16/2008 03:03 PM (Read: 343)

On Tuesday Evening February 12th Chief Mike Vizzini introduced the Police Departments 2008 "Officer Of The Year" to Mayor "Jim" Mercer and the convened City Council. Chief Vizzini thanked the council for making his selection very difficult. He stated that the council's support had been instrumental in helping him develop an agency that was manned by very professional full-time, part-time and reserve law enforcement personnel. The Chief told those present that his selection required him to review past years activities as well because the actions of so many of his personnel had really gone beyond the call of duty this year.

To find out more about this years selection click on Read More

2007 Toys For Tots Wrap Up

Posted by: Ray on 01/06/2008 10:39 PM (Read: 370)

Thank you citizens of Winterville for helping the Marines have a successful Toys For Tots Drive again this year. This year it reminded your police department chaplain that things always look darkest before the dawn. To see what I mean click on "Read More."

Chaplain Very Involved in Veteran's Day Activities

Posted by: anonymous on 11/14/2007 06:57 PM (Read: 474)

Chaplain (Col) Ray Fairman has been very active during the Veteran's Day weekend. He was asked to participate in three Veteran's Day ceremonies, including the Winterville ceremony held on the 10th of November in Pittard Park and asked to give the Veteran's Day message at Living Word Baptist Church in Bogart, GA.

Additionally he celebrated his own birthday on the 9th and the 232nd birthday of his beloved United States Marine Corps on the 10th of November.

To see a transcript of both his Sunday sermon and his County Veterans Banquet speech click on "Read More" to the right and then on the appropriate link.

Training Is A Continuous Process

Posted by: Ray on 10/12/2007 11:51 PM (Read: 480)

The last few months have been busy around the department. The new home for our police department is nearing completion and our officers have been "hitting the books' while they prepare to move across the street and in to the new facility.

To see what our officers have been studying during the last few months just click on "read More" to the left.

Memorial Day 2007

Posted by: Ray on 05/28/2007 01:47 AM (Read: 592)

At 1700 on Sunday May 27th the Clarke County Veterans Council held their yearly celebration honoring our deceased comrades at Evergreen Cemetery in the Garden Of Honor. Members of the Naval Services assisting the Clarke County Veterans Council in the ceremony to honor these veterans were The NSCS Marine Corps Detachment Color Guard, LCDR Marc McDowell the NSCS Chaplain who introduced the guest speaker CWO4 Ray R Fairman, USMC (Ret) our own Police Department Chaplain. LtCol Seth Hathaway the Commanding Officer of the NSCS Marine Detachment and Capt Brian Shepherd the commanding of the NSCS were also present as our Chaplain delivered his message.

To read an edited text of Ray's message click on read more.

There's No Way Of Candy Coating A Startling New Trend In Peddling Methamphetamines.

Posted by: anonymous on 05/11/2007 02:34 AM (Read: 634)

I have been alerted by some friends of mine in Northern Alabama that they have received emails from emergency responder organizations to be on the lookout for a new form of Crystallized Methamphetamine that might be very attractive to children. They have relayed the warning and advised me and other emergency responders be aware of this new form if called to an emergency involving a child that seems to have symptoms of drug ingestion or overdose.

Drug dealers and users alike are calling this new form of Methamphetamine "Strawberry Quick" as it looks similar to the "Pop Rocks" candies that "sizzle" in your mouth. In it's current form, it is a dark pink in color and has a strawberry scent to it.

Chaplain Participates in Western Law Enforcement Summit

Posted by: anonymous on 04/26/2007 06:39 PM (Read: 733)

Chaplain Ray Fairman recently attended and participated in the Western Regional
Law Enforcement Summit held at the Lifeway Glorieta Conference Center in Glorieta NM.

Chaplain Fairman Addresses Local FGBMI

Posted by: anonymous on 03/27/2007 12:04 AM (Read: 754)

Monday March 26th, 2007

Chaplain Ray Fairman, The Winterville Police Department's Chaplain, recently spent time speaking to the Athens area chapter of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship International. Chaplain Fairman gave his own testimony and spoke on the reasons he became a police chaplain after completing more than 33 years of sworn police service on more than 8 federal, county and municipal law enforcement agencies. He also spoke on the duties of police chaplains, a topic which is discussed with more detail below.

If you need to contact Chaplain Fairman for any reason, contact Chief Vizzini at the Winterville Police Department or The Winterville City Office and leave a your request. You may e-mail him directly
by clicking here

Chaplain Supports USMC Toys For Tots 2006

Posted by: Ray on 01/22/2007 06:15 PM (Read: 765)

Our Winterville Chaplain, Ray Fairman, also has some strong ties to the US Marine Corps. He is a retired Chief Warrant Officer-4 and has been working throughout the Christmas season with the Marine Corps Reserve Toys For Tots campaign for decades. This year, between Thanksgiving and Dec 22 when the campaign officially ended, Chaplain Fairman drove over 1550 miles in his Dodge Ram pick-up and collected over 2438 toys for the children of Northeast GA who otherwise might not have had such a great Christmas.

Chaplain Fairman Completes CIRP for Westminster Christian Academy

Posted by: Ray on 01/22/2007 05:55 PM (Read: 692)

Winterville Police Chaplain (Capt) Ray Fairman recently completed a guide for developing "Critical Incident Response Plans" (CIRP) for The Westminster Christian Academy located In Watkinsville, GA, at 1640 New High Shoals Road.

Governors Inaugural Ball

Posted by: Ray on 01/14/2007 09:39 PM

Chief Mike Vizzini recently attended Governor "Sonny" Purdue's Inauguration and invitation only Inaugural Ball, representing the City of Winterville and the Winterville Police Department. Chief Vizzini and his escort enjoyed a grand evening of dining, entertainment and dancing, which ushered in the Governor's upcoming second term.

To check out the evening click on the Photos link and look for the Gala Tab

The Internet, Friend or Foe?

Posted by: Ray on 09/13/2006 10:38 PM (Read: 849)

Dear Parents:

Our children are our community's most valuable asset. They represent the bright future of our state and country and hold our hopes for a better national and international unity. Our children are also the most vulnerable members of our society. Protecting our children against the fear of crime and of becoming victims of crime must be a national priority.

Unfortunately the same advances in computer and telecommunication technology that allow our children to reach out to new sources of knowledge and cultural experiences are also leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and even harm from computer criminals.

I hope that this article helps you to begin to understand some of the complexities of on-line child exploitation. For further information, please contact your local law enforcement agency or the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678.

Chief Mike Vizzini
Winterville Police Department
Winterville,Georgia

To continue click "Read More" to the right.

Winterville Police Department Recognized at Governors Office Of Highway Safety Meeting.

Posted by: Ray on 07/06/2006 06:23 PM (Read: 868)

The Governors Office Of Highway Safety held one of its scheduled meetings on Friday the 23rd of July and the City of Winterville Police Department was recognized for it’s exception efforts in the area of traffic safety.

The Department was the recipient of a $5000.00 GOHS Grant to be used for additional equipment in support of our efforts directed towards traffic safety. This grant was in part based on the emphasis of our officers in targeting such critical highway safety issues as seatbelt, child restraint safety and DUI enforcement for special attention. Click Read More to continue.

Help The Winterville Police Department Keep Our Community Auto Theft Free

Posted by: Ray on 05/31/2006 01:05 PM (Read: 852)

To a thief, there's nothing as inviting as a vehicle. It's self-propelled and fully equipped for a fast getaway. The vehicle and even its component parts are items that are in great demand.

Under the law, the owner or authorized driver of a vehicle may not leave the vehicle unattended without locking the ignition and removing the key. A significant number of automobiles are stolen simply because drivers fail to remove ignition keys. We hope you will help us reduce vehicle theft by never leaving your vehicle running when un attended thus making it even more difficult to steal your vehicle by adding precautions of your own.

All members of your family should know how to protect their vehicles against theft. Licenses, registration cards or other identifying papers that a thief could misuse should never be left in the car. Keys should be carefully guarded. If the keys have punch-out numbers these should be removed and kept at home for reference in case of loss. Click on the “Read More” to the right to learn how to give an auto thief a hard time.

Police Officers "Code of Ethics"

Posted by: Ray on 05/19/2006 12:01 AM (Read: 924)

Morals are the knowledge reference a person exhibits when defining their understanding and perspective of "Right" and "Wrong". Ethics on the other hand are defined by the application of one's moral values. To get a perspective on a police officer's ethical approach to their responsibilities click on the Read More to the Right