Officer From Lilburn Honored for Drug Bust

A police officer who grew up in Lilburn was honored Thursday (July 11) for a drug bust he conducted that ended with the arrests of a man and woman. 

The Stone Mountain CID recognized Officer T.L. Churchill of the DeKalb County Police Department’s Tucker precinct during a special dinner for the entire precinct, according to a news release by the community improvement district. 

In June, Churchill ran a check on a license plate while patrolling the CID area as an off-duty officer. He discovered that the car's female owner was wanted by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, so he conducted a vehicle stop.

A search of the car uncovered a bag containing five ounces of methamphetamine, two ounces of marijuana, bags of pills and a 9mm handgun. A male passenger was revealed to be a felon convicted of armed robbery in Gwinnett County.

The female and male suspects were taken into custody. The male suspect faces weapons and drug trafficking charges, including possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. 

“He employed aggressive steps while on patrol by checking the vehicle’s ownership records and following through with a complete, successful stop. These are proactive efforts that help fight crime and let criminals know that they will not be tolerated in the CID,” said President Jim Estlund of Plaza Security. The CID employs them and off-duty DeKalb County Police officers for public safety coverage. 

Don’t miss any Lilburn news. Subscribe to Lilburn-Mountain Park's free newsletter, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.