Douglas Martin Bentley Jr.

A Life Well Lived Douglas Martin Bentley Jr. was born on April 26, 1971, to parents Louise Bentley and Douglas Bentley in Pittsburgh, PA. He passed away during the early hours of November 7, 2022. Douglas attended Penn Hills Senior High School and graduated in 1989. He went on to attend the Air Force Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base in Bexar County, Texas in August of 1989. He went on to graduate from the U.S. Air Force Aerospace ground equipment mechanic course at Chanute Air Force Base, Illinois. Doug’s military service spanned 11 years including one tour in Desert Storm. A lifelong learner and strong proponent of furthering education, Douglas completed his Bachelor of Science at Columbia Southern University where he studied Criminal Justice Administration and graduated Magna Cum Laude in May of 2012. Douglas was a graduate of the 132nd Administrative Officers Course from the Southern Police Institute Department of Justice Administration College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Louisville in 2014. He went on to receive his Master of Science in Organizational Leadership at Columbia Southern University in 2015. His educational pursuits were contiguous with his distinguished career as a DeKalb County Police Officer. Douglas joined the DeKalb County Police Department in May of 1997 graduating with the 53rd Academy in October 1997. His dedicated career would span over the next 26 years. He started off his career in uniform and eventually joined the community-oriented policing (COP) division in which he worked undercover to apprehend perpetrators of all criminal backgrounds. Douglas progressed through the ranks as Detective, Sergeant, and Lieutenant spending several years in the Special Investigation Section (SIS) responsible for capturing some of the most heinous criminals in DeKalb County as part of the Special Victims Unit. Doug then transitioned into the Uniform Division as Lieutenant and Captain and, most recently, Douglas was promoted to Major and served as the E-911 Director of DeKalb County Police. During his years of service, Douglas received several national technologies and leadership awards for the DeKalb County emergency 911 department and was instrumental in the creation of mobile technology for the DeKalb police to help protect the public. Doug worked to encourage the widespread use of Flock cameras around the county; a system developed to track license plates and traffic activity to protect against property crime and violence in homes, businesses, and neighborhoods. Douglas was a national award winner for Innovation, Leadership, and Technology. Douglas participated in many public symposiums regarding the 911 center to spread his wealth of knowledge to others. In 2021, Douglas received the Large Center Award at the National APCO. Additionally, he received a certificate from the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch and several other prestigious honors and awards. After 26 years of service, Douglas retired on October 2, 2021. On October 3, 1999, Douglas met Dr. Shanika Bentley at Dobbins Air Reserve and they married on June 14, 2003. Douglas and Shanika were blessed with one son, Xavier Bentley. During his free time, Douglas spent countless hours taking long early morning walks, climbing Stone Mountain to watch the sunrise, spending quality time with family and friends, cherishing his relationship with God and sharing it often with others, and volunteering at local community events. Doug coached Xavier’s soccer team, and youth football team (which was the most successful ever in Brookwood History). Douglas proudly coached Xavier to be a 7-time Georgia state wrestling champion. Along with his many activities and passions, Douglas was an avid traveler accomplishing his goal of visiting the Seven Wonders of the World with his family. Douglas had a gift for fellowshipping, telling stories, and being a mentor and positive light to many. The constant smile on his face, his sense of humor, his laugh, and his big heart always drew people to him. Douglas is survived by his beloved wife Dr. Shanika Bentley, his son Xavier Bentley, loving parents Louise and Douglas Bentley, sister Leslie (John) Blanton, brother Dion (Kim) and nieces Brielle Blanton, Baylee Blanton, Camille Bentley, Erin Bentley, and Morgan Bentley, and a host of uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends.

Tributes

Douglas Martin Bentley Jr.

April 26, 1971 - November 7, 2022