Timothy Paske Named DBA’s Police Officer of the Year

For his commitment to excellence in service to the DeKalb County community, Officer Timothy W. Paske received the DeKalb Bar Association’s Officer of the Year award at the annual Law Day ceremony in May.

Each year police supervisors are asked to select an officer who exemplifies excellence in police work in DeKalb County. Professionalism, leadership, work ethic, and esprit de corps are all qualities considered when making this selection. Several officers achieved excellence this year, but Paske, according to his lieutenant, has excelled above the rest.

Paske joined the DeKalb County Police Department three years ago. During his short tenure, he has demonstrated superior policing skills, which earned him a spot on the North Precinct Robbery Task Force in 2011. He is highly motivated and energetic, which is evident in his work. He has demonstrated an exceptional work ethic throughout the past year and was recommended for Officer of the Month in March and December 2012. From January through December 2012, he logged 3,102 calls for service, wrote more than 340 reports, issued 325 citations, and made 292 arrests. These included 143 citation arrests, 54 felony arrests, 29 DUI arrests and 69 misdemeanor arrests.

Off duty, Paske volunteers with the Alpharetta Police Explorers, dedicating two-three hours each week and some weekends to help aspiring teenagers learn skills that might help them become future police officers. He also has worked with the DeKalb and Alpharetta police departments volunteering for Christmas events such as Santa Cop.

Paske is highly motivated and consistently leads his team in calls handled and arrests made. He has an outstanding work ethic and an infectious sense of humor. He is a team player and works diligently to reduce the crime within the precinct. He takes pride in his abilities and work ethic. His aggressive style of policing has resulted in him catching numerous robbery suspects, car thieves, burglars, and drug dealers.

During 2012, Paske received 20 precinct commendations: eight for apprehending robbery suspects, four for apprehending burglary suspects, three for apprehending suspects for trafficking cocaine, two for apprehending car thieves and two for apprehending suspects for thefts and fraud. These arrests have had a positive impact on the community.

Some of the commendations:

In February 2012 Paske was commended for his investigation of a suspicious person trying to use an invalid credit card at a QT gas station. He located and arrested the suspect a short time later on unrelated charges. The subsequent investigation yielded more than 100 fraudulent gift cards. That same month he conducted an investigation on gang activity, discovered a burglary and arrested three suspects during his investigation.

In March 2012 he responded to the area of I-285 West near Northlake Mall in reference to a wrong-way drunk driver. He stopped all the westbound traffic and then placed his patrol unit between the motorists and the wrong-way driver. His police unit was struck trying to stop the driver but no other motorists were injured. That same month he helped investigate an armed robbery case and developed four suspects. CID had their victims positively identify the suspects. The suspects were arrested a short while later, clearing three armed robberies. He also conducted a traffic stop on Buford Highway that yielded a large sum of money and more than two ounces of cocaine.

In April 2012 Paske observed two men board a MARTA bus after an armed robbery on Buford Highway. He stopped the bus and arrested the two suspects. That same month he received a thank you card from a citizen for his courtesy and professionalism while handling an accident.

In June 2012 Paske responded to a burglary in progress on Buford Highway and apprehended the suspect, who was trying to escape through a window. He also responded with other officers to an alarm on Pleasantdale Road. Upon arrival, they were notified by the owner that a suspect was seen on camera trying to break in. A check of the area revealed a stolen U-Haul van and a suspect hiding inside. That same month Paske was commended by CID for his help with investigating numerous burglaries in the Clairmont Road area. A suspect was developed and later arrested during a search warrant. The arrests cleared more than a dozen burglaries.

In July 2012, Paske received a letter of commendation from HIDTA for forwarding information on suspects dealing drugs on N. Cliff Valley Way. HIDTA’s investigation shut down a well-organized drug dealing operation as well as a prostitution ring. HIDTA seized more than $50,000 in narcotics and a large sum of currency. They also seized book ledgers implicating other dealers in the area. That same month he handled an armed robbery on Mt. Vernon Circle. The Robbery Task Force received a tip on the suspect in the area of Pleasantdale Road. Leads were generated and the suspect located and arrested two days later. The arrest cleared six armed robbery cases.

In November 2012 Paske conducted an investigation for CID concerning an armed robbery on Henderson Mill. His investigation yielded leads on a suspect in the area of Center Precinct. The suspect was apprehended after a brief stakeout. That same month he handled an armed robbery at the Chevron station in the 3900 block of Buford Highway. A video was available of the suspect. The following day, he received a tip on the suspect and arrested him a short time later.

Lt. M. Knight of the DeKalb County Police Department describes Paske as “fiercely loyal‚” and says that “he serves this community and the citizens of DeKalb County with professionalism and integrity. His leadership, selfless service and undaunted spirit have earned him respect from everyone he meets.”