# Poulan, Georgia

Poulan is a city in Worth County, Georgia, United States. The population was 780 in 2020. Poulan is part of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area.
Poulan is notable for its police department's speed trap tactics from 2006 to 2012. In 2009, Poulan's small police force generated nearly $900,000 from fines and fees, a number comparable to a city 30 times its size and due to the charges and fees being more than most cities. The per capita revenue from fines and fees is $1,019.15.

## History

The Georgia General Assembly incorporated Poulan as a town in 1889. The city was named for Judge W. A. Poulan. The remnants of what was once a bank and pharmacy are still standing on Broad Street. Poulan is also home to the only two historical registered properties in Worth County; the Poulan Library and Possum Poke. Poulan was settled in 1877 along the Brunswick and Albany railroad.

## Speed trap

The Poulan Police Department has been featured in numerous articles by investigative journalists, most notably for its speed trap tactics since 2009. The city attorney; former Albany, Georgia mayor Tommy Coleman has repeatedly defended the enforcement tactics, as well as the Poulan and Warwick Police Departments.
Between 2008 and 2012, Poulan is estimated to have received $1,676,402.80 (a per-capita amount of $2,012.49) from their Police Department's tactics inside the Poulan city limits on U.S. Route 82 (GA State Route 520). Residents of Poulan have publicly voiced their concern over their police department's tactics multiple times with department leadership specifically denying quotas for summons and citations for traffic related offenses.
In August 2014, a local resident of Poulan placed a sign that warned drivers traveling on U.S. Route 82 (GA State Route 520) of the speed trap tactics. A local NBC/ABC affiliate, WALB, featured a story on the resident who claimed that Poulan Police Officers were given specific quotas. Poulan Police Chief Larry Whisenant, explicitly refuted this claim and denied that any officers were given quotas for speeding citations. In February 2015 the sign was stolen from its placement along U.S. Route 82 (GA State Route 520).
In December 2023, local NBC/ABC affiliate WALB produced a report about the Poulan Police Department and showcased the speed trap tactics that the Police Department continues to use. The report calculated that the Poulan Police Department produced more income than the cost of the agency to the city's budget. Poulan Police commanders were specifically asked for documents showing the amount of income received from speeding related citations. According to the article, Poulan "declined to comment". According to Georgia law, a county or municipal law enforcement agency's budget may not exceed 35% of its annual budget from speeding related fines.
In July 2024, local NBC/ABC affiliate WALB produced another report on both the Poulan and Warwick Police Departments. City attorney Tommy Coleman defended the City of Poulan and the Police Department in an interview, claiming that Poulan's budget percentage from speed enforcement was at 22% for the years 2023 to 2024. Worth County Sheriff Don Whitaker also defended the City of Poulan in an interview he participated in for the report. Disturbingly, Worth County officials (including a member of the County Commission) and City of Poulan officials, admitted that Poulan required the revenue from speed related citations because their tax base was so small.

## Controversy

In December 2007, then Police Chief Angie Schlosser, was fired from the Poulan Police Department after the city claimed she had performed an illegal background investigation into a city council member. While Schlosser denied the allegations, she stated that there were concerns about the background and supposed criminal past of the council member. Despite the seriousness of the allegation, Schlosser was never charged with a crime, and no outside investigation was conducted.
In September 2012, then Poulan Mayor, Dustin Grubbs, was arrested in Dougherty County and charged with felony possession of various narcotic prescription pills including oxycodone, oxycontin, and two different mixtures of Vicodin in different dosages with a total prescription pill count of 57. The arrest showcased the continued synthetic opioid epidemic in the United States. Despite the charges, Grubbs remained the Mayor of Poulan until his death in October 2020.
In August 2017, Rosemary Jones, a police officer employed by Poulan Police, was arrested and charged by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (along with her husband) with two counts of felony cruelty to children in the first degree, two counts of aggravated assault, and one count of felony false imprisonment. Their arrest made national and international news. Despite the arrest, Jones was retained by the Poulan Police Department, and eventually promoted to captain.

## COVID-19

During the COVID-19 epidemic, Worth County Sheriff Don Whitaker deputized members of the Poulan Police Department so that county ordinances specifically related to COVID-19 regulations could be enforced by Poulan Police Officers inside the city limits of Poulan, GA.

## Geography

Poulan is located at 31°30′49″N 83°47′28″W﻿ / ﻿31.51361°N 83.79111°W﻿ / 31.51361; -83.79111 (31.513739, -83.791041). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.7 square miles (4.3 km$^2$), all land.

## Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 946 people, 365 households, and 273 families residing in the city. By 2020, its population declined to 760.

## Notable people

* Howell Heflin (1921–2005), politician
* Chase Osborn (1860–1949), politician