Poulan, Georgia Explained

Official Name:Poulan, Georgia
Settlement Type:City
Mapsize:250px
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Georgia
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Worth
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:4.33
Area Land Km2:4.33
Area Water Km2:0.00
Area Total Sq Mi:1.67
Area Land Sq Mi:1.67
Area Water Sq Mi:0.00
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:760
Population Density Km2:175.36
Population Density Sq Mi:454.27
Timezone:Eastern (EST)
Utc Offset:-5
Timezone Dst:EDT
Utc Offset Dst:-4
Coordinates:31.5136°N -83.7911°W
Elevation M:116
Elevation Ft:381
Postal Code Type:ZIP code
Postal Code:31781
Area Code:229
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:13-62496[2]
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:0321100[3]

Poulan is a city in Worth County, Georgia, United States. The population was 780 in 2020.

Poulan is part of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan statistical area.

Poulan is notable for its police department's speed trap tactics from 2006 to 2012.[4] [5] [6] In 2009 Poulan's small police force generated nearly $900,000 from fines and fees, a number comparable to a city 30 times its size and due to the charges and fees being more than most cities. The per capita revenue from fines and fees is $1,019.15.[7]

Poulan Police Department was discussed in a 2024 multi part YouTube interview with a former officer who detailed speed trap tactics (including citation quotas), theft of evidence from an evidence locker, and multiple falsified police reports and other fabricated documentation and wrongdoing by police leadership.[8] [9]

History

The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Poulan as a town in 1889.[10] The city was named for Judge W.A. Poulan.[11] The remnants of what was once a bank and pharmacy are still standing on Broad Street[12] . Poulan is also home to the only two historical registered properties in Worth County, which are the Poulan Library and Possum Poke[13] . Poulan was settled in 1877 along the Brunswick and Albany railroad[14] .

Controversy

Poulan Police Department has been featured in numerous articles by investigative journalists, most notably for it's speed trap tactics since 2009.[15] [16] [17] The city attorney; former Albany, GA Mayor Tommy Coleman[18] ; has repeatedly defended the enforcement tactics, as well as the Poulan and Warwick Police Departments.[19] [20]

Between 2008 and 2012 Poulan is estimated to have received $1,676,402.80 (a per-capita amount of $2,012.49) from their Police Department's tactics inside the Poulan city limits on U.S. Route 82 (GA State Route 520).[21] Residents of Poulan have publicly voiced their concern over their police department's tactics multiple times with department leadership specifically denying quotas for summons and citations for traffic related offenses.[22] [23]

YouTuber DG Hamblin[24], a styled conservative former law enforcement officer who runs The DG Hamblin Show[25], interviewed a former Poulan police officer in August 2024, where details regarding speed trap tactics, quotas for summons and citations, theft and tampering of evidence by commanders, falsified police reports, and general graft by commanders were examined.[26] [27]

Geography

Poulan is located at 31.5136°N -83.7911°W (31.513739, -83.791041).[28] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.3 km), all land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 946 people, 365 households, and 273 families residing in the city. By 2020, its population declined to 760.

Notable people

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. December 18, 2021.
  2. Web site: U.S. Census website. United States Census Bureau. 2008-01-31.
  3. Web site: US Board on Geographic Names. 2008-01-31. United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25.
  4. News: Simmons . Andria . Some rural Georgia towns policing for profit . 13 January 2020 . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . 2014-10-22 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200113200321/https://www.ajc.com/news/local/some-rural-georgia-towns-policing-for-profit/wdYjcTlZsqUo8Px07C48VJ/ . 2020-01-13 . en . Take the example of Poulan (pronounced PO-lan), where officials claim to have seen the error of their ways. The town of 833 took in $1.67 million in ticket revenue between 2008 and 2012, but the income has fallen steadily since then....In the case of Poulan, GDOT raised the limit after receiving numerous complaints about it being a speed trap, Dale said..
  5. News: 'Speed Trap' sign stirs up Poulan area . walb.com . 2014-08-05 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200113201418/https://www.walb.com/story/26204559/speed-trap-sign-stirs-up-poulan-area/ . 2020-01-13.
  6. News: Smith . Romney . FOX 31 investigates: Are there speed traps in Poulan? . 13 January 2020 . WFXL . 17 July 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200113201619/https://wfxl.com/news/local/fox-31-investigates-are-there-speed-traps-in-poulan . 2020-01-13 . en.
  7. Web site: Georgia Department of Community Affairs, Office of Research: 2009 Municipal Revenues from Fines, Forfeitures and Court Fees as a Percentage of Own Source Revenues . 2010-11-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110721040833/http://dca.ga.gov/development/research/programs/documents/Muni_Fines_Fees_rpt.pdf . 2011-07-21 .
  8. What happened with Poulan Police Department? . 2024-08-05 . DG Hamblin . 2024-08-18 . YouTube.
  9. What happened with Poulan PD (part two) . 2024-08-12 . DG Hamblin . 2024-08-18 . YouTube.
  10. Book: Acts Passed by the General Assembly of Georgia. 1899. J. Johnston. 265.
  11. Book: Georgia Place-Names: Their History and Origins . Winship Press . Krakow, Kenneth K. . 1975 . Macon, GA . 180 . 0-915430-00-2.
  12. Web site: City of Poulan . 2024-08-19 . City of Poulan . en.
  13. Web site: City of Poulan . 2024-08-19 . City of Poulan . en.
  14. Web site: City of Poulan . 2024-08-19 . City of Poulan . en.
  15. Web site: Worsley . Jamie . 2023-12-28 . WALB Investigates two towns some refer to as ‘speed traps’ . 2024-08-18 . www.walb.com . en.
  16. News: undefined . Some rural Georgia towns policing for profit . 2024-08-18 . The Atlanta Journal-Constitution . English . 1539-7459.
  17. Web site: Pierrotti . Andy . 2024-07-22 . Nearly 73% of this city’s budget comes from traffic tickets . 2024-08-18 . www.atlantanewsfirst.com . en.
  18. Web site: reports . From staff . 2021-07-22 . Tommy, Flin Coleman join Atlanta-based Drew Eckl & Farnham law firm . 2024-08-18 . Albany Herald . en.
  19. Web site: Smith . Romney . 2013-07-17 . FOX 31 investigates: Are there speed traps in Poulan? . 2024-08-18 . WFXL . en.
  20. Web site: Worsley . Jamie . 2024-07-25 . Warwick city attorney says, “People aren’t going to believe this” . 2024-08-18 . www.walb.com . en.
  21. Web site: Database: Georgia's biggest ticket traps . 2024-08-18 . ajc . English.
  22. Web site: 2014-08-06 . 'Speed Trap' sign stirs up Poulan area . 2024-08-18 . www.walb.com . en.
  23. Web site: 2014-08-16 . 'Speed Trap' sign may return to Poulan . 2024-08-18 . www.walb.com . en.
  24. Web site: DG Hamblin . 2024-08-18 . YouTube . en.
  25. Web site: DG Hamblin . 2024-08-19 . YouTube . en.
  26. What happened with Poulan Police Department? . 2024-08-05 . DG Hamblin . 2024-08-18 . YouTube.
  27. What happened with Poulan PD (part two) . 2024-08-12 . DG Hamblin . 2024-08-18 . YouTube.
  28. Web site: US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990. United States Census Bureau. 2011-04-23. 2011-02-12.

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