March 28, 2007

The Atlanta Police Foundation, the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District and the Atlanta Police Department Announce the Launch of Operation Shield

The Atlanta Police Department in partnership with the Atlanta Police Foundation and the Atlanta Downtown Improvement District will announce the launch of a new four-pronged security communications system for the City of Atlanta.  The Atlanta Security Council, a committee of the Atlanta Police Foundation comprised of Atlanta Corporate Security Executives, collaborated with the Downtown Public Safety Task Force to develop an integrated information sharing system for the city that would allow for better communications between the public and private sector as well as interoperability between law enforcement agencies and the private sector.  In preparation for the Final Four this weekend the program is being launched in Downtown Atlanta. 

Operation Shield is comprised of four tenets:

• Integrated Camera Surveillance, including 13 new cameras in the downtown tourist triangle
• Atlanta City Worksite, a web based information sharing platform that allows for real time dissemination of information
• COMNET, a two-way radio frequency between the APD and the private sector
• Crime Stoppers Atlanta, a program through which area law enforcement agencies disseminate information to the general public to seek anonymous tips exchange for rewards  

Members of the Atlanta Security Council include: The Atlanta Police Foundation, the Atlanta Police Department, Central Atlanta Progress, the Midtown Alliance, America’s Mart, Turner Broadcasting, Georgia-Pacific, Cousins Properties, The Coca-Cola Company, the Buckhead Coalition, Simon Properties, Georgia Power, the Marcus Foundation, Coca-Cola Enterprises, Target, UPS, SunTrust, Georgia State University, Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, and AT&T. 

Please join Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington, Dave Wilkinson, President & CEO of the Atlanta Police Foundation, AJ Robinson, President of Central Atlanta Progress, and Spurgeon Richardson President of the ACVB from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. at City Hall East on the 2nd floor to learn more about the program.  To RSVP or if you have any questions please contact Allison Ashe, W: 404-586-0180, C: 404-610-0661, aashe@atlantapolicefoundation.org.