Crime & Safety

John Strickland Is New Commander at South Precinct

Major Strickland takes over as Major Dan Branch moves to the north precinct.

Major John Strickland takes command of Gwinnett County Police Department's South Precinct Monday, and Major Dan Branch, now the commander for the south side, moves to the North Precinct.

Strickland began his policing career with Gwinnett County in 1989 and has worked in every division. His latest job was undercover.

"I've always wanted to be a Gwinnett policeman," Strickland said.

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A Snellville native, Strickland worked in the South Precinct for five or six years early in his career, he said.

In parting, Branch gave credit to the policemen and women on the ground and involved citizens for the success of the precinct.

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The precinct "probably has the best community involvement in the county," Branch said at a meet and greet at the precinct Friday to welcome Strickland.

There are 82 C.O.P.S. groups in the precinct, out of 258 in the whole county, Branch said. C.O.P.S. stands for Community Oriented Policing Service, the county's neighborhood watch program.

Sandra Pryor, lieutenant on the evening shift at the precinct, presented Branch with a going-away present, a photograph, saying everyone at the precinct came to work happy because of the major.

Citizens in the south side of the county are likely to see the new commander out and about, just as they did Branch.

"I like to get out of the office and ride around," he said, adding he really believes in community policing. "It's the little things that make a difference," he said, things like picking up trash.


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