Officer honored for fast-acting police work

By Jennifer Ramsay
The Nugget

Officer Chris Weeks of the Dahlonega Police Department was the center of attention at the July City Council meeting, where he received a commendation for his “outstanding service, dedication, and professional attitude” in a recent investigation.
Mayor JoAnne Taylor read aloud the series of events that led to the honor.
On May 22, Weeks responded to a call on Laurel Heights Drive regarding a stolen bicycle. After passing along the info to the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office, which handles such cases, he learned that there had been multiple burglaries in the area.
Two weeks later, on June 6, he was able to crack the case wide open while doing routine patrols.
“…Officer Weeks was conducting a routine patrol in the city when he witnessed a male subject riding the bicycle that matched the description of the bicycle that was reported stolen on May 22, 2022,” Taylor said. “Officer Weeks made a citizen contact with the male and conducted a field investigation.”
Weeks found that the subject was in possession of jewelry and other items. He again reached out to LCSO and matched the jewelry to the description of stolen items in previous burglaries. Overall, he was instrumental in recovering over $7,000 worth of stolen items, including the bike and a gun.
“In conclusion, Officer Week’s keen observation and investigative skills helped close four cases of theft and reunite the victims of theft with their property,” Taylor said. “This highlights Officer Weeks’ tenacity and proactive approach to crime in our community. He’s an invaluable member of the Dahlonega Police Department.”

‘POSITIVE CHANGE’

This isn’t the first time Weeks has gone above and beyond recently. Dahlonega Police Chief George Albert described how Weeks helped travelers experiencing car trouble.
“Recently we had an incident a couple of weeks ago where we had a visitor to our community who broke down, and Chris took him around to some of the auto parts stores to try to help him out so they could find the part for their vehicle,” he said.  “It moved the manager of the auto parts store so much that they sent an email to me expressing how great it was to see someone that had a servant’s heart help those people get back on the road so they can get back home.”
At the end of the meeting, city attorney Doug Parks commended the department as a whole.
“We routinely get positive comments from citizens,” he said. “Someone just the other day said ‘yes, I ran a stop sign, but you have a great officer, very professional.’ We routinely get those. It’s not something you typically see. This is very very positive.”
Weeks himself was honored by the attention.
"I felt appreciated,” he said. “To know that the time was taken to commend me on a job well done. The support is unmatched. The city has its down sides and crime just like anywhere. However, I am grateful that I was given the opportunity to make an impact that can hopefully influence a positive change.”