Dunwoody playing catch-up with police staffing (2024)

DUNWOODY, Ga. — Since taking the oath of office two months ago, Police Chief Mike Carlson has ushered in a new era at the Police Department.

After longtime Police Chief Billy Grogan announced his retirement in January, city leaders opted to recruit from within and promote the former deputy chief to the top job.

Appen Media sat down with Carlson to discuss the department under his leadership, recent crime trends and what residents can expect ahead.

Carlson said the biggest change is now the decision lies with him.

“When I make those careful decisions, I have to use my 26 years of experience and the individuals that surround me,” Carlson said. “What’s going to be best, not only for the department, but how are we going to make sure we represent citizens and their issues.”

The new chief said he has been meeting with residents since his swearing-in because it’s important to stay connected to the community.

Before Carlson took the helm, consulting firm BerryDunn returned a two-year study of the Dunwoody Police Department, commending its practices but showing understaffing and inexperience.

During the 2024 planning retreat, city officials emphasized recruiting, retention and the implementation of recommendations from BerryDunn.

Even with the swearing-in of officers Sebastian Wright and Alvin Slocum since May, there remain six vacant officer positions, the same number discussed at Dunwoody’s March retreat.

“They’re usually here a few weeks in advance before we can get them on the City Council’s roster,” Carlson said, referencing swearing-in ceremonies at City Hall. “As of July 1, we have been approved for an additional sergeant and three officers.”

If there are no new hires, the Dunwoody Police Department will have 58 sworn officers with 10 vacancies as of July 1.

A swinging pendulum

Summer 2020 was difficult for many Americans, especially law enforcement officers, with a global pandemic and nationwide calls to defund policing.

Recruitment for sworn positions became difficult, with experienced officers leaving the profession, less candidates signing up and turnover rates increasing.

Dunwoody officials adopted a restrictive 2021 budget across all departments, cutting 9 percent from the Police Department amid larger cuts to others during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since then, the city has increased pay for police seven separate times through cost of living and market adjustments.

An officer with a high school degree and no experience making $44,567 at the end of 2020 is now earning $59,391.

Other benefits include a $15,000 signing bonus, $800 a month housing stipend for living in Dunwoody, extensive medical coverage and bonuses for unit-specific work.

“My goal here is to attract the best and brightest officers,” Carlson said. “We never lowered our standards to get more individuals through the door.”

The chief said recruiting is competitive with other Metro Atlanta agencies and officers looking for where they can make more, like the private sector.

“Between our mayor, city manager and the council, they wholeheartedly support the Police Department,” Carlson said. “They’re just trying to keep up with our surrounding agencies.”

Sandy Springs, just to the west across Ga. 400, has a population of around 108,000, more than double the population of Dunwoody.

Both cities reported their index crime counts – or total crimes – were just under 2,000 in 2023.

Sandy Springs Police Department has 171 sworn officers, almost three times Dunwoody’s 58.

Another revealing comparison is the number of sworn officers per 1,000 people.

Roswell and Alpharetta, larger cities than Dunwoody but slightly smaller than Sandy Springs, each have 2.3 sworn officers per 1,000 residents.

Dunwoody, at 1.1, comes out ahead of only Johns Creek when compared with neighboring North Fulton cities.

Milton, with 10,000 fewer residents than Dunwoody, has 51 sworn officers who delt with an index crime count of 265 in 2023.

That same year, Dunwoody’s 58 sworn officers delt with a crime index count of 1,985.

Recruiting and retaining

The BerryDunn study recommends an increase in the authorized staffing level of the Police Department from 64 to 78, accounting for attrition to achieve the minimum staffing level of 73.

The City Council funded some recommendations this year, like adding a four-member unit focused on street crimes and civilian positions intended to free up officers.

The additional positions, if filled along with other vacancies, still leave the department five sworn officers below the recommended minimum staffing level.

Meanwhile, the Police Department has been looking to fill those positions.

Recruits come from a variety of backgrounds, Carlson said.

He recently swore in an officer from Emory University Police Department and interviewed a retired Chicago officer in mid-June.

A non-sworn candidate heads to the Georgia Police Academy in July.

Carlson said the mindset of an ideal recruit is someone who is community-oriented, which is why he requires the post-academy Police Officer Training program.

“I’ve got more plans for the department, I’m going to ask for more personnel next year,” Carlson said. “I’m asking for seven more personnel, whether I get it or not, we’ll see.”

As Dunwoody continues to grow, Carlson said he wants to ensure he has the staffing to make it safe.

Policing in Perimeter

It is clear Dunwoody officials are helping the Police Department recruit sworn personnel through pay increases, incentives to stay and additional positions for promotion.

But, it’s an uphill battle because crime in the city and throughout Perimeter has increased since 2019.

With residents speaking at public meetings about increased homelessness and crime in Perimeter, it’s not clear if taxpayers are feeling or seeing their investment.

After reporting annual increases to violent crime from 2019-2022, the department reported a 7 percent decrease last year.

The number of homicides, assaults and robberies decreased between 2022 and 2023, but residential burglaries, entering autos and larcenies increased.

The Perimeter Center Improvement Districts, covering Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Sandy Springs, reported a 35 percent increase in crime from 2022 to 2023.

The challenges of policing in Dunwoody boils down to traffic, vacancies and crime.

Tens of thousands pour into the city from I-285 and Ga. 400 every day, often leaving officers sitting in traffic with everyone else.

With increasing crime and persistent vacancies, it’s not clear whether one factor can be singled out or if a myriad of explanations fit.

Potential explanations include labor shortages and wage competition, and fallout from the murder of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis in 2020.

Around that same time, the Dunwoody Police Department endured public humiliation when an internal probe revealed serious misconduct – including allegations of sexual harassment – by Police Lt. Fidel Espinoza, a high-ranking supervisor. Amid the controversy, Espinoza resigned in May 2020

Amid the turbulence of the nation’s recent history, some police agencies have reported increased hiring since 2023, but the Dunwoody Police Department has not.