Griffin police present staffing, training and accreditation gains; commissioners press for policy change history

Chief Frank Strickland and senior Griffin Police Department staff gave the City Commission a detailed briefing on operations, staffing, training and accreditation.

The department described its four divisions (Office of the Chief, Uniform Patrol, Criminal Investigations Division and Office of Professional Standards), current staffing and certifications, and a sharp increase in training hours: 8,556 in 2024, 11,000 in 2025 and thousands more so far in 2026. Chief Strickland said the department answered roughly 38,170 incidents in 2025 and had handled 17,606 through mid‑year 2026. "CID and uniform patrol are doing an excellent job," he said, adding that better information‑sharing and in‑house training have improved outcomes.

Investigations and seizures: CID leaders described caseloads (725 assigned cases as of June 8, 2026) and monthly arrest/charge totals; they cited a large child‑exploitation investigation that prompted FBI involvement and generated multiple charges in other jurisdictions. Investigators also described VIN‑flipping operations that recovered six vehicles and an estimated $300,000 in savings and seized roughly $74,708 in cash and 28 firearms during recent operations.

Training and SWAT: Lieutenant John Kelton said Griffin exceeds minimum Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) requirements and has developed in‑house capabilities, including a new training partnership with the University of North Georgia that allows local certification at GPSTC levels. Kelton described a 12‑week FTO progression for new officers and increased scenario‑based and de‑escalation training. SWAT leaders said the team focuses on planning and containment rather than forced entries and that Griffin developed a close‑quarters battle class now approved by POST for statewide instruction.

Policy rewrite and accreditation: Accreditation manager Cody Ziegler said the department completed a full rewrite of its policy manual on Feb. 6, migrating to PowerDMS with 96 discrete policies (up from 45) and adding timed reading/tests on updates so officers must demonstrate understanding before signing off. Ziegler said CALEA and state certification audits run on multi‑year cycles; he reported recent remote assessments had few deficiencies and that Griffin anticipates upcoming on‑site reviews and an award ceremony tied to accreditation. "We did a full rewrite of the entire policy manual," he said.

Community programs and operations: The Office of Professional Standards and community outreach staff described school‑based programs and a community center on Ann Street (Sergeant Tony Thomas Community Center) that serves roughly 10–12 kids daily and — according to presenters — corresponded with a roughly 50% reduction in calls for service in the center’s area. Event programs (Back the Blue golf tournament, Shop with a Cop, Back to School Bash) are largely supported by a Griffin Police Association 501(c)(3) that raises $20,000–$25,000 annually for outreach programming.

Recruiting, hiring and equipment: OPS staff outlined a multi‑step hiring process (application, polygraph, psychological testing, medical exam, drug screen, motor‑vehicle check) and said roughly half of applicants are eliminated during the process. Fleet and equipment managers described Samsara GPS tracking, maintenance schedules, collision repair workflows and Axon body‑camera and in‑car systems; a records clerk has handled 1,132 public‑records requests for the police department so far this year (Jan. 1–June 15).

Commissioner concerns and next steps: Several commissioners asked explicitly for a historical report cataloging policy changes across successive chiefs and which changes had contributed to prior legal exposure; they sought specifics about any policies labeled "bad" in earlier years and asked staff to produce a comparative record. The department said it can provide policy histories and relevant backup documents and encouraged commissioners to pose discrete questions so staff can compile precise answers.

The commission did not take any formal actions during the presentation; the meeting ended after a motion to adjourn.