Dear residents,

I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank all the Johns Creek businesses and residents who supported our Special Olympics Georgia fundraisers.

In the beginning of the year we set our goal at $20,000. Thanks to you, we surpassed that goal by quite a bit, raising $34,000 for the non-profit which supports the intellectually disabled of Georgia.

My family and I went down Emory University to help present awards for the State Summer Games. The joy and excitement of the athletes and the opportunity to share such a special moment in their lives will stay with me forever. Special thanks go to the following:

Golf tournament: CH2M Hill; Atlantic Realty Partners/Johns Creek Walk; IXP Corporation; Emory Johns Creek Hospital; "Friends of Johns Creek"; Lowendick, Cuzdey, Ehrmann, Eagner, Stine, Sansalone & Bobe, LLC; Northside Hospital; Rural Metro Corporation.

Ascension Insurance/Byant Wharton; Atlanta Communications; Carey Benefit Associates; Dermatology Center of Atlanta/Dr. Leslie Gray; Paul A. Dietrick Attorney; Expert Signs; Dr. Leslie S. Gaskill; Gresham, Smith and Partners; Juvian Wellness; L-3 Mobile-Vision Inc.; Meineke Car Center; Parking SOFT; Red Rabbit; Reds "The Uniform Tailor;" Riley, Rosner & McLendon, LLC; Self Defense Atlanta; Ray S. Smith III, Attorney/Joyce Thrasher Kaiser & Liss, LLC; Sugo Restaurant & Tapas; SunGard Public Sector; Inc, Star Diner.

Raffle: Abbotts Bar & Grill; American Laser Center; Blue Dangles Boutique; Blockbuster; Bonefish Grill; Carmine's Pizza; Elements Spa; Fusion Sleep Center; Hooter's; Home Depot; Jason's Deli; Johns Creek Family Dentistry; Jon Paul's; Let's Eat; Merci Beaucoup Boutique; Metrotainment Café/Garrison's Broiler & Tap; Moe's Southwest Grill; PHINE & Whimsy; Red Rabbit Pizza & Pub; Rising Roll; Rivermont Country Club; Salud Cooking School; Self Defense Atlanta; St. Ives Country Club; Tara Burroughs Salon; Whole Foods.

"COPS on Shops": Garrison's Broiler & Tap; Misenheimer Creative, Inc.; Starbucks; Essex Bagels; Expert Signs.

Stay safe,

Sgt. Debra Kalish
Community Services

P.S.  If you received this copy from someone else, sign up here to get your own copy each month.

Safety education is the focus each June during National Safety Month. While school is out, two areas of teen safety are of particular concern to the JCPD this summer:

Teen drivers

According to the National Safety Council nearly 4,000 teen drivers are killed and 70,775 injured in car crashes each year. That's 10 deaths and 745 injuries every day.

Most accidents occur in the summer when teens spend more time behind the wheel with their friends as passengers. Also, more inexperienced drivers hit the road following completion of drivers' education courses in the spring/summer.

The major cause of these accidents is inexperience – not enough time behind the wheel before they start driving alone. Additionally, teens face a number of safety risks: Teen Passengers; Nighttime Driving; and New Technology and Teen Drivers.

As a parent, read and watch how you can help with these risks and be sure you and your teen both understand Georgia's Graduated Driving License Program.

Remember, drivers (ages 15-18) with Class D (intermediate) licenses:

1. Cannot drive between 12 midnight and 6 am.
2. Can only have family members as passengers for the first six months.
3. Can only have one non-family member passenger under the age of 21 during the second six-months.
4. Cannot have more than three non-family member passengers under the age of 21 after the second six-months, until they are issued a Class C license.

Internet safety

A Pew Research Center report this month says 93% of U.S. teens (ages 12-17) use the Internet and 82% send private messages to their friends via a social networking system. Most of the time, this is fun and safe.

However, with more teens staying at home this summer (less family vacations with the economy) they are spending even more time online and using increasingly sophisticated technologies that may put  them at greater risk of sexual solicitation, online harassment, bullying and exposure to problematic and illegal content.

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children stays current on possible dangers and how to avoid them:

• On the Web
• Chatrooms
• Instant Messaging
• Email
• Peer-to-Peer Services
• Newsgroups, Forums & Bulletin Boards
• Social Networking
• Sharing and Posting Personal Information Online

If you suspect any online child exploitation, call 911 and a Johns Creek Police officer will be dispatched to you. Reports can also be made 24/7 to the Congressionally-mandated CyberTipline or 1-800-843-5678.

Month after month, Medlock Bridge Road/Ga. 141 consistently has the highest number of traffic accidents in Johns Creek. There were 130 in the first five months of 2009 alone.

To try and reduce these accidents, the Johns Creek Police Traffic Unit will increase enforcement throughout July, focusing on drivers demonstrating the two major contributing factors for these accidents: following too closely and speeding.

"Our goal, through awareness, education and enforcement, is to simply reduce traffic accidents on this major thoroughfare in our city," said Sgt. Ronnie Young, head of the unit.

This Fourth of July, Johns Creek Police will set up sobriety check points in various locations across the City, joining other law enforcement agencies in both state and national impaired driving enforcement initiatives.

The check points will be in effect before, during and after the holiday at undisclosed times and places. This is to discourage drivers from drinking and driving. The goal of the enhanced enforcement of DUI laws is to reduce alcohol-related traffic accidents in the City.

Officers will use the Department's new portable intoxilyzer trailer, which contains an Intoxilyzer 5000 non-invasive breath alcohol testing machine. The JCPD is one of a few law enforcement agencies in Georgia to have the state-of-the art trailer.

• FBI:  Asian Extortion Scam (New)
• FBI:  Car cloning
• FBI:  Oprah's Millionaire Contest
• FBI:  Fake military twist on online vehicle sales
• FBI:  Work-at-home online scams
• Georgia Power:  Impostor employees getting customers' credit card information
• Craigslist scam safety:  JCPD detectives report increase in complaints.

Burglaries (Total 12):  Abbots Station (1), Camden on the River (1), Chelsea Ridge Apts. (2), Evergreen Trace (1), Falls of Autry Mill (1), Hunters Forest (1), Shops at Jones Bridge (1), Springfield (1), St. Amour (1), Thornhill (1), Windermere Park (1).

Car break-ins (Total 21):  Wellington (1), Suntrust at 9119 Haynes Bridge (1), LA Fitness (2), Concord Hall (5), Rivermont Colony (1), Chartwell (2), Country Club of the South (1), Seven Oaks (2), Perimeter Church (1), Johns Creek Walk (2), Autry Township (1), Myers Park (1), Falls at Autry Mill (1).