The Dalton Police Department is asking for the public’s help to locate a runaway teenager. 15 year old Vanessa Quintero was last seen by her family on the evening of May 2^nd. Investigators believe that she may be with her boyfriend, 16 year old Gabriel Martinez. Investigators do not have any indication that she is in any danger.

Quintero’s family first realized that she was missing from their home at approximately 2:30 AM on May 3^rd when her mother woke up in the middle of the night and decided to look in on her children. The family told police that this was not the first time that she had snuck out of the house in the middle of the night and that it had happened on a regular basis. They told investigators that they believed that she could be with Gabriel Martinez, who also has not been back to his home since May 3^rd.

Anyone with information about the whereabouts of Vanessa Quintero or Gabriel Martinez is asked to contact Detective Brian Shirley at 706-278-9085, extension 9-189.

Below: Police are looking for 15 year old Vanessa Quintero (left) and Gabriel Martinez (right)

Keen observation skills, a little luck, and a thorough investigation helped Dalton detectives solve a string of commercial burglaries that were taking place in the south end of the city over the past month. The Dalton Police Department arrested 42 year old Bryan Keith Shoopman and 50 year old Gregory Henry Scott Dale on charges related to the burglaries on Thursday night.

Detectives say the pair committed at least six commercial burglaries in the city limits since the start of April. They are also suspected in a number of other burglaries in Whitfield County that are being investigated by the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office. The burglaries occurred in the overnight hours in the area of Callahan Road and Brickyard Road when those areas are mostly deserted. The burglars weren’t concerned with making noise, either breaking through cinder block building walls to make entry, most likely with a sledge hammer, or peeling back metal siding walls to get into metal buildings metal buildings. Once inside, the burglars stole tools, and also broke into vending machines to steal not just the money inside, but also the drinks or snacks. Investigators believe that the burglars got more than $1,000 in cash and change from the machines they destroyed.

During the course of the investigation, Dalton detectives recovered exterior surveillance video that showed the burglars using a Dodge Ram truck. While studying the video, Detective Jason Robinson noticed that one of the tail lights on the vehicle appeared to be dimmer than the other one as if it was damaged. While following up on another burglary in the area on Tuesday afternoon, Detective Charles Williams happened to spot a Dodge Ram driving in the area with a damaged tail light covered by tape. After checking the truck’s license plate number, detectives found it was registered to an address on Hill Circle. Detectives then traced that address back to Bryan Keith Shoopman and Gregory Henry Scott Dale. Investigators were then able to determine that Shoopman was one of the men seen on video committing the burglaries. On Thursday night, detectives made contact with Shoopman and Dale at the residence they share on Hill Circle. After interviewing the men, detectives arrested and charged them in the case. Shoopman is charged with four counts of burglary, two counts of criminal damage to property, criminal trespass, and theft by taking. Dale is charged with two counts of burglary and one count of felony theft by receiving stolen property. Both were also charged with possession of methamphetamine.

These cases are still being investigated and further charges are possible.

Below: Bryan Keith Shoopman (left) and Gregory Henry Scott Dale (right) were booked into the Whitfield County Jail on Thursday night

The Dalton Police Department is scheduled for an on-site assessment May 11 –13 as part of a program to achieve re-accreditation by verifying that the agency meets professional standards.

The accreditation program is administered by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). The program requires agencies to comply with state of the art standards in four basic areas: policy and procedures, administration, operations, and support services.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments by calling 706-278-9085 extension 9503 on May 12^th between the 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Comments can be left on a voicemail that will be reviewed by the CALEA assessment team.

Telephone comments are limited to ten minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Dalton Police Services Center at 301 Jones Street. The local contact person is Tonya Baker, Accreditation Manager.

Anyone wishing to make written comments about the Dalton Police Department’s ability to comply with the standards for accreditation can do so by mail by writing: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155 or www.calea.org.

EN ESPANOL:

El departamento de Policía de Dalton está programado para una evaluación en sitio el 11 al 13 de Mayo como parte de un programa para lograr la re-acreditación al verificar que la agencia cumpla con estándares profesionales.

El programa de acreditación es administrado por la Comisión de Acreditación de Agencias de Aplicación de la Ley, Inc. (CALEA). El programa requiere que las agencias cumplan con los estándares más modernos en cuatro áreas básicas: políticas y procedimientos, administración, operaciones y servicios de apoyo.

Como parte de la evaluación en el sitio, los empleados de la agencia y los miembros de la comunidad están invitados a hacer comentarios llamando al 706-278-9085 extensión 9503 el 12 de Mayo entre las 2:00pm y las 4:00pm. Los comentarios pueden dejarse en un correo de voz que será revisado por el equipo de evaluación de CALEA.

Los comentarios telefónicos están limitados a diez minutos y deben abordar la capacidad de la agencia para cumplir con los estándares de CALEA. Una copia de los estándares está disponible en el Centro de Servicios de Polícia de Dalton en 301 Jones Street. La persona de contacto local es Tonya Baker, Gerentede Acreditació.

Cualquier persona que desee hacer comentarios por escrito sobre la capacidad del Departamento de Policía de Dalton para cumplir con los estándares de acreditación puede hacerlo por correo escribiendo a: Comisión de Acreditación para Agencias de Aplicación de la Ley, Inc (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, VA 20155 o www.calea.org.