FAQs
Citizens Academy
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The Dalton Police Department conducts a Citizens’ Police Academy once a year.
Adult Citizens' Police Academy (21 years of age and older)
The Citizens' Police Academy is offered to community members who are interested in learning more about how their police department operates and the policing challenges our city faces. Participants in each session commit to meeting for three hours one night per week, for ten weeks, to learn about each aspect of the department.
The purpose of the Citizens' Police Academy is to develop positive relations between the police and community through education. The goals are to create a growing nucleus of responsible, well-informed citizens who have the potential of influencing public opinions about police practices and services. Attendees will gain an appreciation of the problems and challenges facing law enforcement and have an opportunity to offer comments and ideas regarding solutions.
Subjects covered during the academy are as follows:
- History of the Dalton Police Department
- Youth Issues
- Firearms Policies/Use of Force
- Patrol Division
- Search and Seizure/Laws of Arrest
- Department Tour
- Observer Ride-a-longs with Officers
- Criminal Investigations
- Gang Problems
- Motor Vehicle Enforcement
- Communications
- Items of interest to participants
These are just a few of the subjects covered.
To participate in the academy, you must be a resident of the city of Dalton, business owner in town, or otherwise have a vested interest in the city, be 21 years of age, and a United States citizen. Participants will be chosen at the discretion of the Chief of Police and will represent a cross-section of the community. There is no fee.
The next Citizens' Police Academy is tentatively set for Fall 2021. For more information, call Lieutenant Steve Zahn at 706-278-9085 ext. 9105 or email at szahn@daltonga.gov.
Submit an online application here: Citizens' Police Academy Application
City Clerk
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Not at this time. For further questions, please call 706.275.7500 for any Whitfield County Inquiries.
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To verify that your business is located within the City of Dalton’s corporate limits, please call the Building Inspectors Office at 706.275.7401
You can also visit Whitfield County's GIS at https://gis.whitfieldcountyga.com/GIS/WCGIS/searchparceldata.asp
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You can contact the City Clerk’s office by phone, fax, mail, or Internet if you have questions concerning your new or existing City of Dalton Occupation Tax Certificate.
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The Cost of an Occupational Tax Certificate is as Follows:
$200.00 Administrative Fee plus:
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(1) for the First 25 Employees = $20.00 per Employee
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(2) for the next 25 Employees = $18.00 per Employee
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(3) for the next 50 Employees = $16.00 per Employee
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(4) for the next 100 Employees = $14.00 per Employee
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(5) for the next 300 Employees = $13.00 per Employee
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(6) for Each Additional Employee =$12.00 per Employee
All Payments are accepted at the Clerk's Office, Dalton City Hall 300 West Waugh Street 1st Floor West. The Clerk's office accepts Cash, Money Orders and Checks.
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It is important to notify the City Clerk’s Office as soon as possible, when adding or changing any business names or locations. There is no charge to change your business name. However, location changes within the city limits of Dalton requires a written request for zoning approval.
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Yes: each business location must pay all applicable fees.
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Yes, fully complete, sign and date the Return. Applications received through the mail require more time to process because zoning requirements also have to be completed. Our first year rate is a flat fee of $200 + employees . Please include payment with the application.
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Current state law mandates that you register your business in the municipality or jurisdiction where it is located. This registration allows your business to operate statewide. (Businesses located outside Georgia must register in each municipality or jurisdiction where they have a business location.
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Yes: A letter stating so has to be submitted to the city clerk’s office and the new owner must complete a NEW Occupational Tax Certificate Return to apply for the new business. You can not transfer an occupational tax certificate from one person to another.
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You will be asked to complete an Occupational Tax certificate return. After approval, you can come and pick up your certificate or we will send it to the mailing address on the return.
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Your tax is based upon the number of employees from your business plus an administrative fee of $200.00.
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Your business is subject to a 10% penalty of your total license fee plus interest at 1 1/2% per month, if paid after April 1st.
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An individual, business or practitioner who fails or refuses to make a timely or truthful tax return shall be subject to suspension of the taxpayer's right to conduct business in the city.
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Please visit our Alcohol Beverage section for further info.
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The City of Dalton does not issue business licenses, our current method of taxation is Occupation Tax.
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You should contact the City Clerk’s Office at 706.529.2490
Complaints
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A person wishing to file a complaint should contact any Dalton Police officer. The officer or the citizen will complete a Dalton Police Department Complaint Form. The form may be filled out immediately, or you may take the complaint form with you and return it at a later time by mail, in person, or give the completed form to any employee of the Dalton Police Department.
You will be notified by the Professional Standards Unit when the matter is under investigation. The complaint will be assigned to a supervisor for investigation. You will be given the name of the officer assigned to conduct the investigation, their contact phone number, and the case number related to the complaint investigation. You may be required to supply additional information. Once concluded, you will be notified by mail as to the disposition of your complaint.
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When the investigation of a complaint reveals the charges are true and should be sustained against the police employee, the department may take one of the following actions depending on the nature of the violation:
- Counseling
- Remedial Training
- Oral Reprimand
- Written Reprimand
- Suspension
- Demotion
- Termination
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If there is not sufficient evidence to support the allegation, the investigation is closed and no further action is taken.
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A complaint is defined as: An allegation of employee misconduct, which may include violations of departmental policies, procedures, or federal, state, and local laws. A complaint may originate from a citizen or another employee.
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Yes, citizens may voice their concerns to any shift supervisor and they will be offered the opportunity to complete the Citizen Complaint and Inquiry Form. Fill in and mail or hand-deliver to any employee of the Police Department. It is the policy of the Dalton Police Department to investigate all complaints of alleged misconduct and to equitably determine whether the allegations are valid or invalid and to take appropriate action.
The Dalton Police Department is vitally interested in the welfare of all citizens and in taking action where its employees have proven derelict in their duties or are guilty of wrongdoing. If it becomes necessary for you to make a complaint, you can be assured it will be given a fair and thorough investigation.
By the same token, if you have an occasion to see a police employee doing outstanding work, we encourage you to tell the employee or us about it. The Dalton Police Department is comprised of professionals dedicated to serving you.
Driver's License
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For all driver license issues, you must contact the GA Department of Drivers Services at 235 Wagner Road in Dalton (off the South Bypass) or call 706-272-2272 or 706-278-2388 for information. The office is open Tuesday - Friday, from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Saturday, from 8 a.m. - 12 noon.
Explorers
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Yes, the Explorer Program is for ages 14 - 20.
The Law Enforcement Explorer Program allows young men and women to gain training and experience in the law enforcement field. The program also provides opportunities for community involvement and development. Program activities center around law enforcement training, organized recreational activities and competitive events. Police Officer 1st Class David Saylors currently oversees the program.
To be eligible for the program, an applicant:
- Must be between 14 and 20 years old
- Must maintain at least a "C" average, and must remain enrolled in school until graduation or earn a GED
- Must attend regularly scheduled meetings, including physical training
To apply to become a Dalton Police Explorer, download the PDF copy of the application. Fill out the application and send it to:
PFC David Saylors
Dalton Police Department
301 Jones Street
Dalton, GA 30720
You can also FAX a copy of the application to the attention of PFC Saylors at 706-217-2075. Applications are accepted until February. The new group of Dalton Police Explorers will begin meeting in March.
Property and Evidence
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No, you must pick up your own firearm.
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Proof of ownership and a valid photo ID will be required to claim any property. If you are having someone else pick up your property, they must bring a notarized letter from you (the owner) authorizing its release.
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Yes. An appointment is preferred as the Property and Evidence staff are not always in the office. Call 706-278-9085, option 5 to make an appointment.
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No. A valid government-issued photo ID must be presented in order for property to be released. A drivers' license, state-issued ID card, or passport are all acceptable forms of ID.
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You will need to contact the Officer or Investigator that is in charge or your case. The Officer or Investigator must complete the appropriate paperwork before the property can be released.
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No, the Officer or Investigator in charge of your case will contact you when you are able to pick up your vehicle.
Records
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To file a report, you can call the non-emergency dispatch number at 706-370-4900 to have an officer come to your location, or you can come to the Police Services Center and speak with an officer. To begin the report process electronically, fill out the File a Report form.
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To find out if someone is still in jail, you must contact the Whitfield County Sheriff's Office at 706-278-1233.
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Restriction is the process by which you may be able to have a charge removed from your record. For more information on restrictions, call 706-278-9085, ext. 9408.
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Reports written by Dalton Police Officers can be picked up at the Police Services Center between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The Records Section phone number is 706-278-9085, ext. 9408. To electronically request a report be e-mailed or mailed to you, fill out the Request a Copy of a Police Report form.
Reports written by the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office or the Georgia State Patrol can be picked up at their respective offices.
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Visit DPD OnLine, or contact our Crime Analyst at 706-278-9085, press 9 and ext 413, for statistics regarding specific criminal activity in designated areas of the city.
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You will need to come to the Dalton Police Department’s Records Section to request a background check. You will have to sign a Criminal History Consent Form and provide a valid government-issued photo ID. Processing time is up to three business days. The charge is $15.00 for a state check and $15.00 for a local check. Accepted forms of payment are cash, money order, or debit/credit cards.
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Contact the Domestic Violence Unit of the District Attorney's Office at (706) 876-1556 or the North Georgia Family Crisis Center at (706) 278-6595.
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Download the Personal Report of a Traffic Accident form. This report is for you to turn in to your insurance company and should NOT be mailed to our agency.
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Fines for citations written by Dalton Police Officers can be paid at the Dalton Municipal Court office or by visiting the Municipal Court Online Payment Window.
Citations written by the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office or Georgia State Patrol (within Whitfield County) can be paid at Probate Court, located in the Whitfield County Courthouse at 205 N. Selvidge St. Probate Court’s phone number is 706-275-7400.
Ride Along
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Yes, the Dalton Police Department has a Ride Along program. Download the form below and return to the Patrol Division; you will need to provide a valid picture ID.
Guidelines for riding are:
- You must complete a waiver application and submit it to the patrol secretary or the Shift Sergeant for approval at least 24 hours in advance.
- Persons that will not be allowed to ride are; persons with known felony convictions or mental incompetents, persons with medical problems, or other persons disqualified by the Chief of Police.
- Prospective ride-along observers will be the subject of a criminal history check through department files and GCIC.
- In every case, the needs of the department and availability of resources will determine whether a request to ride as an observer is approved.
- If the program participant interferes with operations or police actions, the officer will return him/her to the Police Services Center and advise the supervisor of the circumstances.
- All program participants are required to reflect a neat and clean appearance and are expected to pay for their own meals and refreshments.
- Participants are not to carry a firearm while riding along, unless they are a certified Georgia peace officer in good standing.
- Participants are limited to periods of eight hours per ride-along, and no more than three ride-alongs per year, unless otherwise authorized by the watch commander.
- Participants under the age of 18 are only allowed to ride through a school-approved program.
Search Tips and Tricks
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Yes. The website indexes web pages as well as PDFs, Microsoft Office documents, and text documents.
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No. By default, the search results will show matches for any word within the phrase. In this example, you would receive results for all web pages and documents that contained either the word alarm or the word permit or both.
In order to search on an exact phrase, enclose your search phrase in quotations. The search results for "alarm permit" will show matches for that exact phrase.
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Yes. You can exclude words by using the minus sign (-). In order to find the results of all pages that have alarm in the result but not permit, you would search for alarm -permit.
Suspicious Activity
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Anyone with information about potential drug or criminal activity can pass this information on to the police department at any time.
The Tip Line can be reached 24 hours a day by dialing 706-278-9085 press 9 and ext 221. The caller will receive a brief message that will outline what information is needed.
The person's call will be answered by an automated voice mail system and will allow the individual to give information in an anonymous manner. Or, the person can give his or her name and phone number if they wish to be contacted at a later time by an officer.
Callers can leave as much information as they wish, but specific details such as a suspect or victim's name, vehicle type, tag numbers, other names or residence information will be helpful in investigating the crime. In addition to the information above, information about drug activity and the type of drug being used or sold is very important.
We value your input in our efforts to reduce or prevent criminal activity in our community. All tips will be looked at and pursued if warranted. Meaningless messages, gibberish, and issues that are beyond our control will not be processed.
To submit your information electronically, fill out the Tip Line form.
Taxi Permits
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Taxi permits are only issued on Thursdays, from 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. You will need to come into the Police Services Center to fill out the application and pay the $25.00 application fee, prior to Thursdays, to allow time to process your application. You will have to provide a valid driver's license and one other document; birth certificate, employment authorization card, or resident alien card. If you have questions, you may call 706-278-9085, press 9 and ext 176.
Traffic
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Yes, the department has several officers certified as child restraint technicians. Call (706) 278-9085, press 9 and ext 120 to set up an appointment. Please call ahead of time, due to the variety of the officers' schedules.
You may also contact the Dalton Fire Department at 706-278-7363 or the Whitfield County Health Center at 706-272-2446.
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The Traffic Unit routinely responds to citizen’s traffic concerns. You can contact them by phone at 706-278-9085, press 9 and ext 124, to submit a request.
