Atlanta Police Department Safety Report Released
January 29,2016
Downtown continues to be one of the safest places in the City of Atlanta per Assistant Chief Shawn Jones, APD. Crime is down, and especially violent crime is down significantly for the last six months compared to the same period last year (2014) in the Downtown Improvement District.
Total Part I crime was down 3% for the City, and 6% for Zone 5 in 2015. Although some crime numbers were up for the total year 2015 in the ADID, crime trends continue downward through the second half, and are still lower than in years past. Major Scott Kreher, the new Zone 5 Commander has implemented measures to significantly increase enforcement efforts in Downtown by both the patrol units and special enforcement units to address larceny from autos and panhandling.
Larceny from autos is still the main enforcement focus as that is the main crime challenge in Zone 5 and Downtown, much of which can be related to the high volume of vehicle traffic and parking density for large special events. Roughly 80% of the larceny from auto victims still tend to be from out of town, and leave items in the open and visible.
The increased convention and special event activity Downtown during 2015 and moving forward is being addressed by the department, particularly by increasing staffing of beat officers Downtown, using both bikes and Segways as part of their community policing efforts.
Major Kreher recently opened a Mini-Precinct at the Curb Market to restore a static police presence in the Sweet Auburn area. Officers from the Ted Turner Precinct will travel to the Curb Market via Streetcar for transport and deploy on Segways or bikes to provide coverage to the Sweet Auburn area to ensure a strong, mobile police presence. This initiative has already yielded positive results with reduced crime and positive interaction with the police in the area.
Our challenge continues to be to educate the public, particularly the visiting public on Clean Car Campaign practices, preferably prior to their arrival. Efforts are ongoing to address the Repeat Offender issues that continue to impact enforcement and mitigation of the minor crimes prevailing. We continue to enjoy a strong collaboration of public and private partners that strive to coordinate events and public safety measures that enhance the quality of life and the Downtown experience.