As most of you have likely read, the Conyers Police Department has conducted multiple prostitution and pandering stings in the last couple of months. I would like to explain why we are using staff time to address such issues. We are not simply targeting the crime of prostitution. Such activity often attracts violent crime.

In the last year, we have experienced armed robberies victimizing prostitutes, kidnapping, adults forced into prostitution and brought into Conyers. A young woman was even drugged and forced into prostitution by a family member. The last place she remembered was being in Conyers. That case was turned over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

We do not believe we will eliminate prostitution or solicitation of sex. However, we will do all we can to ensure that the City of Conyers does not become an “acceptable” location where such activity is free to flourish. The metro-Atlanta area has become a breeding ground for prostitution activity, and we have had women actually state they travel to Conyers to conduct business because of the not-as-aggressive clientele. Unfortunately, we have had such aggressive “clientele” target these women, rob them, rape them, and beat them. This is what we are making every effort to eliminate. I will continue to support the fact that such operations are a beneficial use of resources.

The annual Conyers Police Citizen Service Satisfaction Survey has come to a close and we appreciate all of your feedback, positive and negative. We are in the process of analyzing the results and will be sharing that with you soon.

I would like to congratulate Communications Supervisor Tahina Westbrook for her five years of service to the City. She currently supervises the evening watch shift of operators and proves as a valuable asset in the communications division.

For more on the Conyers Police Department, call 770-483-6600  or go to http://conyerspolice.com or www.facebook.com/ConyersPolice.