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Crime Doesn’t Pay But Jingles Do
By Steve Alexander Reporter
Published: Tue, May 13, 2008 - 10:10 pm
Last Updated: Tue, May 13, 2008 - 10:19 pm
Last Updated: Tue, May 13, 2008 - 10:19 pm
Steve Alexander
Mobile Police Detective Charles Saviak was named "Officer of the Year" by the department.
Police say Saviak solved five bank robberies as well as four carjackings last year with the arrest of just one group of felons.
Saviak said, "If you can get a fingerprint, that's great, but if you can get a confession and a fingerprint, that's even better. If you can get DNA from the crime scene, that's great. too. But what you have to have is great people working with you."
Police Chief Phillip Garrett said, "We've been challenged this past year with a lot of robberies and he (Saviak) has worked so very hard trying to chase down the robbers, connect the clues, and gather the evidence to send them to court."
Barber William Dotch received the "Civilian Assistance Award."
Police say last May, Dotch saw two women, one 77 years old, robbed right in front of his business.
They say he spent more than two hours searching for the robber.
Dotch said, "A lady screamed outside and one of the ladies said that a guy had knocked the lady down and took her purse. As I went around by my house, I saw the guy walking on the street and I trailed him through the neighborhood and called the police."
Dotch says his family upbringing helped him realize the robber needed to be caught.
He said, "I have a mother that's 92 years old and my instinct was based upon my mom or my wife or my sister or somebody else that I would know that came under that situation."
Dotch says he knew he could have been shot, but he said, "Before I leave my driveway, I pray and ask God to take care of me that day and that's all I have to go on."
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