Bell Named President of POAG

Comer Police Chief and Stephens County Commission Chair Dennis Bell will lead a statewide law enforcement organization for the next year.

Bell was named President of the Peace Officers Association of Georgia last week at the organization’s 115th conference in Savannah.

He said it is a privilege and an honor to receive the confidence of the membership to serve as president.

“This started out about five years ago when I started out as a board members,” said Bell. “I was very humbled I got all the support I did from officers all around the state.”

Bell said that the Peace Officers Association of Georgia focuses on a number of different topics.

He said one of the main issues the group deals with centers on education and training for law enforcement.

“One of the main spots is making sure we have professional training around the state,” said Bell.

At its conference this year, POAG provided advanced training for over 400 officers from law enforcement agencies throughout the state.

Also, the organization helped to establish the Peace Officers’ Standards and Training, or POST, certification program.

POAG also recognizes officers for their service and provides scholarships for children of peace officers permanently injured or killed in the line of duty.

As for Bell, he said that he has a number of goals that he wants to focus on during his term as President.

“One is to make sure we continue to put out the professional training we do,” said Bell. “I want to make sure I go around to each district in Georgia and meet with the chiefs and sheriffs and sit down with them and listen to their concerns and see if we can do anything to help them with that. The third is to work on a use of force policy to have one statewide use of force policy instead of each agency in the state having their own.”

Bell said that will require working with numerous other law enforcement organizations around the state to develop such a cohesive policy.

He said those talks have already begun.