Conversations about crime dominated Monday’s town hall in Buckhead more than eight months after Atlanta dodged a Republican-led push to carve a new city out of that neighborhood.
Speaking at the Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens shared the stage with chief operating officer Lisa Gordon and interim police Chief Darin Schierbaum to review data from police zone 2, which covers Buckhead. They reported a 7% decrease in crimes against people, a 14% decrease in homicides, a 20% decrease in rapes, an 11°% decrease in property crimes, a 28% decrease in motor vehicle theft, and a 15% decrease in burglary/breaking & entering.
Dickens contributed some of those downward trends in crime to his office’s new nightlife division, in which the city trains entertainment venues on how to use cameras and other tools to address problematic behaviors. He also credited the impact of his youth outreach initiatives and the Office of Violence Reduction, which deals with community conflict resolution strategies.
On the policing side, Dickens praised the impact of the new police precinct in Buckhead Village. He also commended the police department’s collaboration with popular malls like Phipps and Lenox Square, which was the site of at least six shootings in 2020.
“We’ve had a million to 1.5 million interactions of people going into Lennox and Phipps Plaza every month and we have not had any shooting, any violent crime, in 10 months,” said Dickens, eliciting applause from the standing-room only church hall.
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
The Dickens administration also fielded questions concerning zoning, infrastructure, the Beltline, homelessness, and pickleball courts, among other topics.
When Dickens ran for office last year, the Democrat campaigned on a promise to not only address crime, but to also prevent the creation of Buckhead City.
Citing frustration with the city’s declines in police manpower and city services, the Buckhead City Committee wanted state leaders to pass legislation for Buckhead residents to vote to split from the city this year. The secession would strip away an estimated $232 million in tax revenue and create a new overwhelmingly white city with 20% of Atlanta’s population.
The movement was buried this year in back-to-back pronouncements from Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan and House Speaker David Ralston, who each refused to support the secession effort in February.
But on Monday, Susan Pryor told the administration Buckhead residents still don’t feel safe. Peachtree Battle resident Harold Hudson said he lives 100 yards away from where 57-year-old Christopher Eberhart was fatally shot amid a carjacking this month.
Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC
Credit: JOHN SPINK / AJC
“I didn’t see this in any mathematical presentation, but where are we at with hiring more policemen,” said Hudson, eliciting cheers and applause.
Atlanta has 1,500 sworn officers with 140 in training. Schierbaum says they have the largest law enforcement agency in the state even though the police department is short 535 officers. Schierbaum also said Eberhart’s killer was arrested in Alabama in the victim’s pickup truck.
“Your police department’s doing its job, but I can’t say the courtroom is doing its job,” Schierbaum said.
Dickens urged residents to hold the Fulton County courts accountable by participating in the Court Watch Atlanta program, which lets residents watch criminal trials.
“Give a little grace when we don’t get it exactly right on the first go around,” Dickens said. “I don’t care if you live in Buckhead or Adamsville or Cascade because as a matter of fact, in 1952, all of those communities came into the city at the exact same time. We can’t unscramble this egg.”
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