News and Events

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Avoiding Scams and Injuries

We want to encourage residents to be vigilant and protect themselves from unscrupulous operators who will offer assistance at removing debris or repairing damage. They are looking to take your insurance money, so please be careful who you work with. A few simple tips to avoid scams:

Persons who solicit door to door must have a city-issued business license. This is also a poly used by burglars to check and see if a resident is home before committing a burglary. To check the validity of a business license inside the city limits of Dothan please call 615-3166 during regular business hours.

Unless they are the homeowner, anyone that makes repairs for others must be licensed by the city, bonded and insured. It is recommended you refuse to work with anyone who cannot prove they have these credentials. It’s not always a scam, but they must follow the business licensing laws of Dothan in order to perform these services inside the city limits.

Be wary of scams and don’t pay in full for work up front. Repair services that request full payment up front before completing the work should be viewed with scrutiny. If they fail to make the repairs or do shoddy work, you’ll have the leverage of holding some of their money until they complete the job to the agreed specification.

If you feel you’ve been victimized by a scam, please call the police department during regular business hours and make a report. We take scams very seriously and will not tolerate people taking advantage of folks like this.

Preventing Injuries during Cleanup

Also, if you are going to do work yourself, here’s a few tips on how to avoid injuries:

If power lines are caught in trees or debris STOP and do not attempt cleanup. City power and tree crews are working as fast as they can, but you cannot assure the lines aren’t energized by yourself. Please do not mess with downed power lines.

When using power tools especially chain saws make certain you’ve read the instructions on the tool and wear appropriate personal protective equipment including ear and eye protection. When trimming branches overhead be sure and wear a head protection as well.

When lifting, prevent back injury by lifting with your legs instead of just your back muscles. Muscle strains can be extremely painful especially in the back.

Please do not burn refuse inside the city limits. Instead, place refuse in a pile curbside for pickup by city refuse pickup crews. Once roadways are cleared and things start getting back to normal, the city will pickup refuse on a regular schedule.

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City-wide curfew imposed

Due to the expected severity of Hurricane Michael, the City of Dothan has established a mandatory curfew beginning at 12:00 PM CDT on Wednesday, October 10, 2018. Residents are asked to refrain from travel on roadways during this time and to remain sheltered in place until the storm leaves the area. This curfew is intended to both to protect resident’s personal safety but also to prevent theft and crime especially in the aftermath of the storm.

View the press release from the Dothan/Houston County EMA Joint Information Center

For your safety please take this storm very seriously. The City of Dothan will advise of when the curfew will be lifted via our media partners and on social media.

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Severe weather tips and info

As this weather event affects our area, we are asking residents to please heed and understand the following:

Please call 911 if you have an emergency. Please be able to provide your exact location including address, street and apartment or room number.

Pay close attention to local news outlets for information on the storm’s path and severity. Two excellent sources of information are Dothan/Houston County Emergency Management Agency and Wiregrass 2-1-1.

Do not drive across flooded roadways and treat all downed power lines as if they are live.

City offices are closed on Wednesday, October 10, 2018 due to the weather. This includes Municipal Court. Defendants and attorneys will be advised of their new court dates in the future.

Additional emergency services personnel will be on-duty during this event. If roadways become impassable or communications systems become congested, emergency services may take longer than normal to respond to requests for assistance. Requests will be prioritized with life safety receiving top priority.

Evacuees to the Dothan area, and residents for that matter, please ensure your vehicles are secured and do not leave any valuables in your vehicle while staying at a hotel or with a friend. Auto burglars are known to work during the storm. If valuables must be left in your vehicle, consider leaving them in the trunk or hidden from sight.

As the weather moves out of the area the City will have crews to clear roadways and repair power lines. If you experience a power failure and you are a Dothan Utilities customer you may report a power outage by following their reporting procedure. If you are not a Dothan Utilities customer, please contact your electrical utility directly to advise them of the outage.

After the storm: Avoiding Scams

Following the storm, if you receive damage or need services to cleanup or make repairs please remember the following pointers:

Persons who solicit door to door must have a city-issued business license. To check the validity of a business license inside the city limits of Dothan please call 615-3166 during regular business hours.

Anyone that makes repairs for others must be licensed by the city, bonded and insured. It is recommended you refuse to work with anyone who cannot prove they have these credentials.

Be wary of scams and don’t pay for work up front. Repair services that request full payment up front before completing the work should be viewed with scrutiny. If they fail to make the repairs or do shoddy work, you’ll have no recourse if you pay in full up front.

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Narcotics Seizure

On Wednesday 09/12/2018 the Vice Intelligence Division intercepted a package that was believed to be connected to drug trafficking. Twelve pounds of marijuana was recovered. Investigators are working with other local and state agencies as this investigation continues.

The investigation is ongoing and no other information can be released at this time.

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Gunman Robs Convenience Store

During the early Morning hours of Sunday, September 16, 2018, a lone gunman entered the Circle K Convenience Store located at 4196 Ross Clark Circle armed with a small hand gun and demanded money from the clerk. The suspect was able to leave the store with only a small, undisclosed amount of money and was last seen fleeing the scene on foot south bound from the business.  The investigation is ongoing and the Dothan Police Department asks that anyone with information related to this incident please contact the Dothan Police Department at 615-3000 or CrimeStoppers at 793-7000.

 

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Victim Burglarized, Robbed and Assaulted

During the early morning hours of Saturday, September 15, 2018, the Dothan Police Department was called to the 100 block of Radford Circle in reference to a report of a robbery and assault. Upon arrival, officers determined the door to the victim’s residence had been kicked in by two black male suspects.  The suspects had their faces covered with shirts and at least one of the suspects was armed with a long gun.  While one suspect rummaged through the victim’s house looking for money and valuables, the other suspect physically assaulted the victim.  While the one suspect was assaulting the victim, the shirt came off of his face and the victim recognized him as a previous acquaintance.  The victim was able to provide the one suspect’s identity to police.  The suspects took the victim’s wallet and cell phone before making their getaway.  The victim’s injuries were minor and did not require medical treatment.  Investigators have located and charged the one suspect, 22-year-old Con’travius Deunte Parks of Dothan, with one count of Burglary First-Degree and one count of Robbery First-Degree with a $150,000.00 bond on each charge.  The investigation is ongoing and the Dothan Police Department asks that anyone with information related to this incident please contact the Dothan Police Department at 615-3000 or CrimeStoppers at 793-7000.

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Press Release for Murder Investigation

On Sept. 10, 2018 at approximately 6:30 a.m. Dothan Police Officers responded to a 911 call reporting an assault in the 300 block of Pettus St. Dothan. Moments later Officers arrived scene to discover a white male, later identified as 59-year-old Neal Craft Barber, laying in the driveway.  It was obvious to the Officers that Barber had suffered some sort of trauma as Dothan Fire Medics arrived to medically assess the victim.  It was determined that Barber had succumbed to his injuries before the Officers or Medics arrival and he was not transported to a medical facility.

Upon examination of Barber and the surrounding scene, it was determined that he was the victim of an assault that occurred sometime in the early morning hours on Sept. 10th.  Dothan Police Patrol Officers located and detained several persons of interest at the scene in a storage building at the rear of the residence.  Investigators obtained a search warrant for the property and discovered that the storage building was the physical crime scene where Barber was assaulted.  All of the people located in the storage building were transported to the Dothan Police Department.

Once the crime scene was processed and interviews were conducted by Dothan Police Crime Scene Investigators and Criminal Investigators, it was discovered that earlier that morning there was an argument that led to a physical altercation. During that altercation Barber suffered multiple injuries caused by blunt force trauma to his head that were not survivable.  Probable cause was established to charge two people with the murder of Barber.

Charged with Murder are 24-year-old Dontavious Givens, of Pettus Street Dothan, and Jatavion Lakeldrick Collins, of Monument Street Dothan. Both individuals arrested are being held with a no bond. Both suspects will be scheduled for a Preliminary Hearing in Houston County Circuit Court.

 

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Fall 2018 Citizen Observer Program

DOTHAN POLICE DEPARTMENT

CITIZEN OBSERVER PROGRAM

The purpose of the Citizens’ Observer Program is to allow members of our community to see and understand, first hand, what Police Officers experience on a daily basis. This program includes classroom exercises and demonstrations. Participates will be also be given the opportunity to experience two four (4) hour observation rides with a veteran Police Officer.

Classes begin October 2, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. and continue every Tuesday night until October 23, 2018.

Registration forms are available at:

The Dothan Police Department

210 North Saint Andrews Street

Dothan, Alabama 36303

For more information:

334-793-0230

Dothan Police Department

Community Service Division

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September 2018 Coffee With A Cop

On Wednesday, September 26, officers from the Dothan Police Department and community members will come together in an informal, neutral space to discuss community issues, build relationships, and drink coffee.

All community members are invited to attend. The event begins at 7 a.m. on September 26th  at Bird and Bean Coffee House, 144 North Foster Street. Please contact Lt. Mac Eggleston with questions: (334) 793-0230 or meggleston@dothan.org.

Coffee with a Cop provides a unique opportunity for community members to ask questions and learn more about the department’s work in Dothan’s neighborhoods.

The majority of contacts law enforcement has with the public happen during emergencies, or emotional situations. Those situations are not always the most effective times for relationship building with the community and some community members may feel that officers are unapproachable on the street. Coffee with a Cop breaks down barriers and allows for a relaxed, one-on-one interaction.

Coffee with a Cop is a national initiative supported by The United States Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Similar events are being held across the county, as local police departments strive to make lasting connections with the communities they serve.

The program aims to advance the practice of community policing through improving relationships between police officers and community members one cup of coffee at a time.

 

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Scam alert: Callers posing as officers collecting fines

Some local residents have reported receiving telephone calls from a person stating that they are a police officer with the Dothan Police Department, although they may use any agency name that is appropriate depending on where you are located. The caller then states that you must pay a fine or face arrest. The caller then will happily process a credit card payment over the phone in the amount of the alleged fine, thereby preventing you from being arrested.

Please be advised that the Dothan Police Department absolutely does not collect fines. The City of Dothan Magistrate’s Office processes case settlements, including fines. In any case, positively no one will call you and process a payment for a fine over the phone in this manner. Case settlements, including fines and court fees must be paid to the Magistrate’s Office using an approved payment method either in person, via US mail, or online.

We are urging persons who receive a call from this caller to hang up immediately and do not provide any information to them. If you feel you may have fallen victim of this scam, please contact us at (334) 615-3000 or come to the lobby of the police department located at 210 North Saint Andrews Street Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM to file a police report. If you provided credit card information, please contact your financial institution to report the fraud and have a new card issued.

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