Journey through Breast Cancer
the NEWS Sept. 27, 2014 Volume 6, Issue 26
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Salem High senior Mehkia Bryant was crowned Homecoming Queen and Kanome McIntosh was crowned Homecoming King during Friday’s game against Winder-Barrow. The Salem Seminoles named their 2014 Homecoming Court Sunday. They are (no particular order): Freshman Princess Chyna Wright, Sophomore Princess Briana Honce, Junior Princess Taylor Sparks-Wilson, Queen candidates Sahara Bankhead and Mehkia Bryant and King candidates Tyson Turner and Kanome McIntosh.
A guide from diagnosis to remission. Find out what you need to know for defeating breast cancer
photos by Darrell Everidge/The News
THE GOLD STANDARD Rockdale Sheriff’s Office aims for international accreditation
By Martin Rand, III
mrand@rockdalenews.com
The Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office is aiming for the “gold standard” of law enforcement, say officials, to elevate its current policies and procedures to a higher level. That level can only be achieved by voluntarily getting accredited from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), says RCSO Chief Deputy Scott. CALEA, a nonprofit credentialing authority, aims to update the policy and procedures of law enforcement agencies, communication centers, training academies and campus security to the highest standards in relation to the program. The Conyers Police De-
partment received CALEA accreditation November 2012. The Georgia Piedmont Technical College Law Enforcement Academy became the first training academy in Georgia to achieve accreditation by CALEA in August. By getting CALEA accredited, the sheriff’s office will be operating under the best practices of the modern local law enforcement agency, Freeman adds. “(RCSO) will subject itself to outside agencies that are CALEA accredited assessors to come in and basically do a top down inspection to make sure that we have our policies in place, that (the policies) meet the standards set by CALEA and that were actually
See ACCREDITATION, Page 15
‘A very bloody crime scene’ Burglary victim dies after window escape By Martin Rand, III
mrand@rockdalenews.com
(Top) Principal Tanya Bloodworth in her parade ride. (Right) SHS ROTC color guard Check rockdalenews.com for more pictures.
Rockdale County Sheriff’s Office arrested two Conyers men in connection to an armed robbery that led to the death of Conyers resident and former Heritage student Shawn Pracht. Around 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 4, Nicholas Coggins, 21, allegedly held 23-year-old Pracht, the victim, at gunpoint in Pracht’s Bridlewood apartment, 1150 Sigman Road, Conyers, in an attempt to rob him. Kiquan Rogers, a 21-yearold suspect also being charged in the case, is believed to be
the one who gave Coggins access to Pracht’s apartment to carry out the crime, said RCSO Cpl. Michael Camp. “Rodgers was an acquaintance of Pracht,” Camp said. “We believe that (Rodgers) let the second guy (Coggins) in the apartment.” In an attempt to escape from the situation, the RCSO believe Pracht dove through his glass bedroom window, which was closed, causing several cuts and scrapes on his body. One major cut nicked an artery in his leg causing him to bleed severely.
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