The stage is set for a new Atlanta Police Department leader after Chief Rodney Bryant’s (second) retirement was announced last Friday. As the mayor launches a national search, we expect officials and stakeholders to begin lobbying for their preferred picks over the next few weeks, especially internal candidates.
“I’m confident our next chief is already here amongst our current APD executive staff,” tweeted City Councilman Dustin Hillis, who chairs the council’s public safety committee. We’ll note that the last two chiefs before Bryant — Erika Shields and George Turner — were also internal hires.
Mayor Andre Dickens told reporters last week that he and Bryant came to the same conclusion over the chief’s future. Bryant came out of retirement to lead the department in 2020 after Shields stepped down, and he’s served in APD for over three decades.
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC
Bryant’s replacement will be the latest high-profile department head Dickens will have to search for.
We reported in February that Dickens is seeking new leaders for four critical city departments: Planning, Procurement, Human Resources and Parks and Recreation. Dickens has enlisted the help of several companies and business leaders in the vetting process of the candidates. Here’s what he told us last week about the status of those searches:
“Those searches are in the middle phases. The individuals are now beginning to send me finalists, like (the) top five I just received for Parks and Rec. I'm doing my own interviews with them, some virtual, some in person, and I'll be doing that across those departments. Once we're ready, we'll make an announcement and get those people presented to the public."
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Speaking to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Editorial Board last Thursday, Dickens gave us the gist of his plans for the city going forward. Here’s what he told us in brief detail:
- Dickens said the city is releasing a detailed report from his 40-person transition committee this week. He said the team was assembled to create recommendations for public safety, youth and education, “Neighborhood Empowerment” and ethics.
Credit: Tyson Horne / tyson.horne@ajc.com
Credit: Tyson Horne / tyson.horne@ajc.com
- The mayor said the city wants to start a “court watch” program next month. He described it as opportunity for citizens to watch trials virtually, or in person at the court, in order to understand how judges are making their decisions in cases of public interest.
- Dickens also told the AJC that his forthcoming budget proposal will likely be the largest budget in the city’s history. Dickens, a former city councilman, respectfully declined to give us a full overview before the City Council gets it, but he said it’s almost ready.
“Various departments have some deficits or some challenges that we need to kind of support and shore up,” Dickens said. “We’re looking at some things related to staff, making sure that we know that there has been a pandemic and there’s been a lot of competitiveness in the marketplace with quality staffs. We’re trying to do our best job there to make our staff across the board feel appreciated.”
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In case you missed it: We recapped the mayor’s first 100 days in office and how he’s worked to soothe strained relations with state leaders, police and Buckhead community members.
Something notable we couldn’t fit in the story was how the historical tension between the City Council president and mayor’s office has yet to emerge. Council President Doug Shipman told us he and Dickens have a collaborative relationship and hold standing meetings.
“There’s been a lot of comradery, but there’s also been just a lot of communication,” said Shipman in a video marking his own first 100 days in office.
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Atlanta’s revived “Pothole Posse” is back at work. Residents can submit a pothole service request by calling 311, going to the ATL 311 website, or notifying @ATL311 on Twitter with the location of the pothole. It will then be inspected within five business days, and repaired in an additional five days.
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Another local restaurant is coming under fire over its dress code. You may remember when Buckhead restaurant Le Bilboquet apologized after NBA legend Dominique Wilkins was turned away last May.
This time, it was former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who says she was told she couldn’t eat at The Capital Grille near Perimeter Mall because she was wearing leggings. The steakhouse chain has a vague dress code on its website that prohibits “gym attire” and says “proper dress is required,” but as many on social media have pointed out, such requirements are often enforced selectively and based on outdated standards.
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The city’s At-Promise Center at 2220 Campbellton Road in southwest Atlanta opened a new AT&T Connected Learning Center last week. The center features 25 desktop computers for at-risk youth to obtain resources for learning, literacy, mentoring and tutoring.
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City Council is back from recess, with a full meeting scheduled for Monday at 1 p.m. Expect votes on the city’s purchase of the 75-acre site formerly home to the Chattahoochee Brick Company, and to further delay the enforcement of short-term rental regulations. We’ll be there at City Hall to see if anything is discussed related to the budget or the search for the next police chief.
Send us tips and feedback at Wilborn.Nobles@ajc.com and Joseph.Capelouto@ajc.com.
