Heather Stafford, GCPD's East Precinct Community Relations Officer

When she was just 10 years old, Heather Stafford’s family moved to a small farm in Dacula. At the time, the town was not the bustling metropolis of restaurants, shopping centers and parks we see today. It was a quiet hamlet where the only place to grab a bite was the nearby Waffle House on Highway 316. As the young girl grew -- attending Dyer Elementary, then Dacula Middle and High Schools -- the town followed suit. Forever maintaining its small town attitude, Dacula was “home” -- the place where Stafford was ingrained with a certain sense of community.

Following graduation from in 2000, Stafford was led by that sense of community to pursue a degree in early childhood education from Gainesville State College. After receiving her diploma in 2003, Stafford took a job with Georgia Pre-K and taught at several schools in both Gwinnett and Barrow Counties. That strong sense of community could be blamed for guiding her to make a move that seemed somewhat out of character for the young teacher. In 2006, Heather Stafford answered a new call by becoming a Gwinnett County Police Officer. 

“The police academy was one of the hardest things I have ever done in my life,” recalls Stafford. “I have to thank my parents for the support and encouragement they provided during that time. It took a lot of work and determination but I would not change a thing as I love what I do.”

Now as the wife of a fellow officer and proud mom to four children, Officer H. Stafford #1170 of the Gwinnett County Police Department’s East Precinct has found a way to strike a perfect balance between her love of teaching, her sense of duty as a police officer and her devotion to the community. In her role as the Community Relations Officer, Stafford serves the largest district in Gwinnett County -- District 4, which encompasses Dacula -- and acts as a liaison between the community and the police department.

Most recently, Officer Stafford was able to combine the skills she acquired through her work as an educator with her role as a police officer with the launch of the . This free, national award winning, two-hour course is designed to help parents with their teen drivers, ages 14 - 16.  Among other things, the course teaches what new drivers need to expect and perform during the 40 hours of supervised practice driving time required by Georgia Law.

“The PRIDE program was introduced to me by Officer Richter in the West Precinct,” explains Stafford.  “One of my passions is working with children of all ages.  I guess that is the teacher in me.  When I attended one of the programs, I decided -- along with four other officers -- to become certified to teach the program.  In order to teach, you must attend a training course offered by Georgia Traffic Injury Prevention Institute in Conyers.  Once this was accomplished, the first PRIDE program at East Precinct took place in March of 2011.”  

Officer Stafford partners with Crime Prevention Officer Walt Pollock to facilitate these courses. In addition to the P.R.I.D.E. program, Pollock and Stafford also present Traffic Safety for Teens.  This is a free 45-minute class for teens with the goal of reducing teen crashes in Georgia.  Among the topics discussed are crash dynamics, seat belts, speeding, alcohol, road rules, street signs and timely topics such as unnecessary distractions from cell phones and texting.

“I believe that by educating the teens and parents about driving and the restrictions that teens face, it will create a safer driving environment for all,” says Stafford. “There are several areas in District 4 that can be tricky for a new driver to negotiate, and the more prepared the driver and coach are the better the team can work together to accomplish a positive outcome.”

While Stafford takes pride in the fact that the GCPD’s Community Relations and Crime Prevention Units have both been nominated for Georgia’s “Buckle Up, America!” Awards this year, she doesn’t require a certificate or trophy to feel good about the career path she’s chosen.

“I know this may sound corny, but I really just like being able to help others” explains Stafford. “I really do not need a piece of paper to say anything special but rather a smile or handshake from someone who says thank you for all you have done.  I go home at the end of that day and say to myself  ‘I did something great today!’”

Even though she no longer lives in her hometown of Dacula, don’t be surprised to run into her around town at places like the local dry cleaners or hardware store. Stafford’s parents still live at their farm in Dacula, and many of her friends remain here.

“I have several connections to this city and I love the old time feeling of everybody knowing everybody,” says Officer Stafford. “I truly love working in the Dacula community and look forward to doing so in the future.”

Upcoming P.R.I.D.E. dates at East Precinct -– located at 2273 Alcovy Road in Dacula –- are July 19 and August 3. To register, contact Officer H. Stafford at 770-338-7430 ext. 5696 or via e-mail at heather.stafford@gwinnettcounty.com.