DECATUR, Ga. — A Decatur Police traffic stop of someone identifying as a “sovereign citizen” resulted in a security alert being issued at Decatur High on Monday morning.
It was the second of two alerts issued at Decatur High on Monday. A staff member accidentally caused the second alert, which briefly caused a lockdown at the school.
According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, people who identify as “sovereign citizens” consider themselves exempt from U.S. law.
“Their rejection of legal documentation such as Social Security numbers, driver’s licenses, vehicle registration and other forms of government identification lead to frequent interactions with law enforcement,” the SPLC’s website says.
A Decatur Police spokesperson said the traffic stop occurred at 8:25 a.m. Police pulled over a vehicle for a tag violation.
“The vehicle pulled into the upper lot of Decatur High School,” the spokesperson said. “The driver of the vehicle identified themselves as a sovereign citizen and refused to provide information to police. As the officers were speaking with the driver, the driver placed their vehicle into reverse and struck an unoccupied Decatur Police vehicle. The driver then fled the area in their vehicle.”
Officers were able to identify the driver and are pursuing warrants through the DeKalb County Magistrate Court for “various offenses” relating to the traffic stop.
Due to the stop, the school entered into “secure” status, meaning the school’s outside doors were locked but everything else is business as usual.
“Our School Resource Officer, Officer Hodges, was on-site and promptly activated the secure protocol as a precautionary measure,” Principal Duane Sprull wrote in an email to parents. “Once law enforcement confirmed the situation was under control, normal school operations resumed.”
The lockdown occurred around 10:30 a.m., after an employee accidentally pushed an alert button. Normal school operations resumed within minutes.
“The safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority, and we appreciate your support in helping us create a secure learning environment,” Sprull wrote.
The front steps of Decatur High School.
