Oct 5: Coffee with a Cop

Please join us on Wednesday, October 5th, for Coffee-With-A-Cop. We will be at Dakota Coffee Shop Eastside location at 2191 East Main Street from 07:00a.m. until 09:00a.m. This is a great opportunity to meet your local police officers while enjoying a free cup of coffee at this new and wonderful establishment. We look forward to seeing everyone there.

Announcing the 26th Annual K9 Seminar

The Dothan Police Department will be hosting its 26th Annual K9 Seminar. The seminar will be held February 7 through 11, 2022. K9 teams are expected to participate from all over the southeast region. Training will focus on narcotics and explosives detection, patrol apprehension and tracking. Each media outlet is being afforded the opportunity to come out an observe. For further information you may contact Lieutenant W.E. Wozniak at (334) 615-3916.

The video and photos below are from the Department’s 24th Annual K9 Seminar.

Anonymous Prescription Drug Drop Box

The Dothan Police Department has a prescription drug drop box located in the lobby of the police department at 210 North Saint Andrews Street.

In 2021 we safely destroyed over 250 pounds of medications, keeping them out of the hands of children and unauthorized persons.

Simply walk into the lobby Monday-Friday 8:00-5:00 and drop the containers into the locked drop box. No need to speak with anyone.

A technician and witness will collect drugs from the container and safely dispose of the items in an incinerator for you.

Kulture City Invitation and Proclamation

The Dothan Police Department would like to Invite you to join us for the presentation of a proclamation and certification from KultureCity.

Dothan Police Department

This venue is certified as a trained and trusted advocate for those with sensory needs.

Thank you for your commitment and dedication to our program.

We are honored to be partnered with you.

KultureCity

Who:   All are Invited! Dothan Citizens, Press and Families and Friends of those with Sensory Needs are welcome to attend.

What:  KultureCity Presentation of Certification to Dothan Police Department of Sensory Inclusive™ First Responder Certification

When: January 18, 2022 at 1:00 p.m.

Where: Wiregrass Training Center

100 Public Safety Way, Dothan, AL 36303

Why:   Becoming Sensory Inclusive™ Certified helps first responders serve all citizens regardless of their sensory needs, mental health challenges or invisible disabilities.

Based on the research presented by KultureCity

  • The current US Census shows 1 in 6 individuals has a sensory need and this demographic continues to increase.
  • Responding to an individual with a sensory need is different and challenging.
  • Whether a First Responder has training in how to approach someone with invisible disabilities can make a vital difference at crucial times.
  • People with invisible disabilities (ID) tend to react differently and get overwhelmed more easily than neurotypical individuals due to various sensory sensitivities.
  • These factors, along with the communication challenges, means there is a lot of opportunity for confusion and actions that can be misinterpreted or cause additional escalation during emergency situations.
  • These behaviors include avoiding eye contact, being unsteady on their feet, appearing agitated or pacing, not complying with directions, and being sensitive to touch.

No R.S.V.P. needed, for more information call Captain David at 334.615.3610

Shooting on Southport Lands One in Jail

On August 1, 2020, Dothan Police Officers responded to East Southport Street in reference to a subject that was shot and crashed his vehicle into a tree.  Investigators responded to the scene and determined the shooting occurred in the 500 block of South Appletree Street.  Through the investigation, Investigators developed a suspect, Trayvon Leon Dorsey, and issued warrants for his arrest in relation to the shooting.

On August 7, 2020, a Dothan Police Officer initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle in the 3200 block of Reeves Street.  In the backseat, Dorsey was found attempting to disassemble a firearm.  Dorsey was arrested for his outstanding warrant.  While looking at the firearm in Dorsey’s possession, it was discovered the serial number had been filed off the weapon.

Trayvon Leon Dorsey (19) of Cuthbert, GA was charged with Attempted Murder and Possession of an Altered Firearm with bonds totaling $75,000.

Notice about fireworks inside the city limits

As the July 4th holiday approaches, we remind our citizens fireworks are illegal in the City Limits of Dothan. The Police Department will be patrolling and may issue citations for illegal use of fireworks. For those readers who may legally use fireworks at their home (again, this is no one in the City Limits of Dothan!!) we would like to encourage safety first! We encourage those within the City Limits to visit a professionally produced fireworks show such as the “Fireworks on the Fairgrounds” beginning at 9:00 PM at the Peanut Festival Fairgrounds.

The National Council on Fireworks Safety lists nine safety tips that encourage firework users to celebrate our nation’s heritage on the Fourth of July safely.

If discharging fireworks where it is legal to do so:

  • Use fireworks outdoors only.
  • Obey local laws. If fireworks are not legal where you live, do not use them.
  • Always have water handy (a hose or bucket).
  • Only use fireworks as intended. Don’t try to alter them or combine them.
  • Never relight a “dud” firework. Wait 20 minutes and then soak it in a bucket of water.
  • Use common sense. Spectators should keep a safe distance from the shooter and the shooter should
  • wear safety glasses.
  • Alcohol and fireworks do not mix. Have a “designated shooter.”
  • Only persons over the age of 12 should be allowed to handle sparklers of any type.
  • Do not ever use homemade fireworks of illegal explosives!

Online extortion scams are on the rise

The FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has seen an increase in reports of online extortion scams during the current “stay-at-home” orders due to the COVID-19 crisis. Because large swaths of the population are staying at home and likely using the computer more than usual, scammers may use this opportunity to find new victims and pressure them into sending money. The scammers are sending e-mails threatening to release sexually explicit photos or personally compromising videos to the individual’s contacts if they do not pay. While there are many variations of these online extortion attempts, they often share certain commonalities.

SCAM COMMONALTIES:

Online extortion schemes vary, but there are a few common indicators of the scam. The following characteristics are not all-inclusive but should serve as red flags. It is important to remember that scammers adapt their schemes to capitalize on current events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, high-profile breaches, or new trends involving the Internet, all in an attempt to make their scams seem more authentic.

  • The online extortion attempt comes as an e-mail from an unknown party and, many times, will be written in broken English with grammatical errors.
  • The recipient’s personal information is noted in the e-mail or letter to add a higher degree of intimidation to the scam. For example, the recipient’s user name or password is provided at the beginning of the e-mail or letter.
  • The recipient is accused of visiting adult websites, cheating on a spouse, or being involved in other compromising situations.
  • The e-mail or letter includes a statement like, “I had a serious spyware and adware infect your computer,” or “I have a recorded video of you” as an explanation of how the information was allegedly gathered.
  • The e-mail or letter threatens to send a video or other compromising information to family, friends, coworkers, or social network contacts if a ransom is not paid.
  • The e-mail or letter provides a short window to pay, typically 48 hours.
  • The recipient is instructed to pay the ransom in Bitcoin, a virtual currency that provides a high degree of anonymity to the transactions.
TIPS TO PROTECT YOURSELF:
  • Do not open e-mails or attachments from unknown individuals.
  • Monitor your bank account statements regularly, and your credit report at least once a year for any unusual activity.
  • Do not communicate with unsolicited e-mail senders.
  • Do not store sensitive or embarrassing photos or information online or on your mobile devices.
  • Use strong passwords and do not use the same password for multiple websites.
  • Never provide personal information of any sort via e-mail. Be aware that many e-mails requesting your personal information appear to be legitimate.
  • Ensure security settings for social media accounts are activated and set at the highest level of protection.
  • Verify the web address of legitimate websites and manually type the address into your browser.

The FBI does not condone the payment of online extortion demands as the funds will facilitate continued criminal activity, including potential organized crime activity and associated violent crimes.

VICTIM REPORTING:

If you believe you have been a victim of this scam, reach out to your local FBI field office, and file a complaint with the IC3 at www.ic3.gov. Please provide any relevant information in your complaint, including the online extortion e-mail with header information and Bitcoin address if available.

Avoiding COVID-19 Scams

Fake testing kits, “cures” and “treatments” for the virus, counterfeit personal protective equipment (PPE), and email phishing scams are examples of schemes that have become popular recently. Not only are these scams taking people’s money, they also have potentially dangerous consequences.

Resources & Links

FDA Health Fraud Program
https://www.fda.gov/consumers/health-fraud-scams

FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx

National Center for Disaster Fraud
https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud

24th Annual K9 Seminar Video

The Dothan Police Department K9 Unit wrapped up the 24th Annual K9 Seminar on Friday, February 7, 2020.

This annual seminar is intended to provide K9 teams from all over the country with an opportunity to do real world scenario-based training in a controlled and safe environment.

The seminar provides these guys a week of quality K9 training that allows these teams an opportunity to fix any issues they may have and make themselves better according to Sgt. William Wozniak, K9 trainer.

Teams from around the United States participated including New Jersey, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Indiana and North Carolina.

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