Members of the Gleason Board of Mayor and Aldermen approved a resolution establishing an identity theft policy, during their regular monthly meeting Thursday, October 9. The federally mandated policy outlines the operating procedures to be followed by city employees concerning securing the personal information of local citizens and others doing business with the city of Gleason.

 

Identity Theft Policy

 

    The identity theft policy approved by the board was in response to the Federal Trade Commission implementing new regulations to protect the personal information of citizens contained in the records of governmental entities, in order to prevent identity theft.

    Some of the heightened security measures include: storing customers’ information inside file cabinets that lock, or in a storage room behind a locked door; shredding or burning paperwork with personal information rather than throwing it in the trash; not taking or giving out sensitive personal information over the phone, but using the fax machine instead to insure the information only goes to those agencies authorized to receive it; turning off the computers at night; and having password protection on all computers. Bulletproof glass and bars over the windows at the service desk are also recommended, but not mandated.

Failure to comply with the new federal regulations carries a minimum fine of $25,000.

    “Name, address and phone number is all we are supposed to be giving out,” said Gleason Water Plant Supervisor Rhonda Montgomery, who took a class on the subject in Henderson, Tennessee. She added the Tennessee Legislature is in the process of bringing state laws into compliance with the new federal regulations, and once approved, will be passed on down to local government for implementation. 

    “I’m not supposed to give out anything on our employees as far as personal phone numbers,” said Gleason City Recorder Angela Hunt. “But as far as city cell phone numbers are concerned, I can give those out.” She stated the state is trying to work out where the line should be drawn between giving out utility information and employee information.

    In order to improve security, information being exchanged between agencies is now being transmitted via fax machines, rather than over the phone or Internet.

 

(Read the rest of this story in the October 15th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

    A 21-year-old Martin man charged with assaulting a child entered a guilty plea in Weakley County Circuit Court Thursday, October 9.

    Wesley Griffin, who was originally charged with aggravated child abuse in connection with last year’s beating of his two-year-old stepson, Austin Cash, pled guilty to aggravated assault.

    In exchange for his plea, Griffin received the same plea bargain agreement as his wife, Tiffani Callahan, 25, who pleaded guilty in Weakley County Circuit Court on Thursday, September 25, 2008, to a charge of aggravated assault.

Circuit Court Judge Bill Acree revoked Griffin’s signature bond and jailed him under a new $10,000 bond, after Griffin’s mother told Acree her son was in violation of his bond by not staying at her home as ordered by the court.

    Judge Acree will sentence both defendants Tuesday, November 18.

    The case first came to light during the evening of July 28, 2007, when Martin Police Department officers were dispatched to Volunteer Community Hospital in Martin to investigate the circumstances involving a child with a serious head injury. When Investigator James Hatler arrived, he saw that the then 19-month-old boy had bruises and cuts on his head and arms, and severe head trauma.

    Due to the extent of the victim’s injuries, the child was airlifted to Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center in Memphis where he remained two months for treatment of critical injuries that included skull fractures and brain swelling.

 

(Read the rest of this story in the October 15th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)

    A 32-year-old Dresden man, who avoided capture for two weeks, remains jailed without bond until his preliminary hearing in Weakley County General Sessions Court Wednesday, October 15, for allegedly assaulting his ex-girlfriend and threatening to kill her.

    Hoytt Lynn Phillips of 122 South Poplar Street, Apt. A, is charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, burglary and evading arrest.

    According to an affidavit filed by Ptl. Danny R. Taylor of the Dresden Police Department, at approximately 2 a.m. Thursday, September 11, 2008, Phillips entered the home of his ex-girlfriend, Jamie Ellison, of 349 Evergreen Street in Dresden and assaulted her.

    The affidavit states Phillips attempted to hold the victim face down into the bed to keep her from screaming while he choked and beat her.

    Ellison told Officer Taylor she tried to run away, but Phillips kept holding her down.

    The defendant also allegedly shoved a tire tool into the victim’s abdomen and told her if she moved he was going to shove it through her.

    During the incident, the victim stated Phillips was slapping and punching her, and at one time, tried to make her swallow a bottle of Hydrocodone pills – all while their young daughter was in the same room.

    Additionally, Phillips allegedly told Ellison she was going to die.

    Ptl. Taylor states in the affidavit he witnessed bruising to both of the victim’s arms, upper chest area and throat. There were also several drops of blood in the living room and hallway floor.

 

(Read the rest of this story in the October 15th print edition of the Dresden Enterprise.)