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Congratulations to Sergeant Gordon Dickinson, recipient of the City of Coral Gables “Officer of the Month Award,” for the month of July 2022. |
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On July 22, 2022, at 1004 hours, the CGPD Communications Section received a 911 call from 10 Aragon Av in reference to a shooting that just occurred, with a victim laying on the ground. They advised the offenders were two black males that fled in a possible Dodge Avenger, last seen going towards Galiano St. Sgt. Gordon Dickinson (7078) heard the call and began to respond to the location. While enroute, he observed CGPD units already traveling northbound on Lejeune Rd from Bird Rd, so he anticipated the subjects may attempt to flee out of our city, so he decided to travel eastbound on Bird Rd, then northbound on Douglas Rd and deactivated his lights and sirens to not bring attention to himself.
At 1008 hours, Sgt. Dickinson observed a black Dodge sedan traveling southbound on 2700-block of Douglas Rd. He made a U-tum to get behind the vehicle, which was revealed to be a Dodge Caliber, bearing Florida tag 07BMQJ. He quickly advised dispatch that he had a priority transmission reference he was behind a vehicle matching the description of the offender's vehicle. The vehicle continued south bound towards Bird Rd and then entered the left tum lane to go eastbound on Bird Av, instead, the vehicle continued southbound on Douglas Rd, bypassing all the traffic stopped at the intersection. He was directly behind the vehicle as it approached US1, and it began to pick up speed. The light for southbound traffic was red, but the vehicle proceeded through the intersection at a high rate of speed, almost causing several accidents.
Sgt. Dickinson by this point already activated his overhead lights and sirens prior to the Dodge crossing US1 and he was giving CGPD dispatch clear and controlled communications of his exact location, direction of travel, and immediately requested aviation support. The vehicle made several evasive turns at a high rate of speed, going through multiple four way stop signs. The driver eventually ended up going eastbound on Day Avenue, crossing SW 27 Ave onto eastbound Tigertail Ave. After turning onto Tigertail Ave, the driver attempted to make a left turn onto northbound Darwin St. The driver wasn't able to complete the tum and veered off the roadway, striking a tree on the northeast comer of the intersection. Both offenders bailed from the vehicle and Sgt. Dickinson advised dispatch of their physical description, direction of travel and where he needed responding units for a perimeter.
As several CGPD units arrived on perimeter posts, Sgt. Dickinson requested support for K-9 from surrounding agencies. He also had the presence of mind to preserve the crime scene by directing officers to place rocks on top of several bills (US currency) on the ground that few out the vehicle as the offenders fled on foot before they blew away in the wind. He then responded to the Command Post where he helped coordinate setting up a canine search team with SWAT members to respond where information was received by citizens advising of the offenders' location in the perimeter. His team led to the apprehension of first offender and another team located and detained the second offender shortly after. Both offenders were subsequently identified by Sgt. Dickinson and the evidence, including the firearm, were safely recovered.