In his first full day on the job, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed unveiled a reorganization of the police department's command staff and announced other plans including one to hire an economic development czar. (See list at end of story.)
Acting Police Chief George Turner promoted several longtime leaders to new positions to boost morale among officers. The moves included promoting Peter Andresen from deputy of field operations to assistant chief, Ernest Finley from Zone 3 Commander to deputy of field operations, Calvin Moss from the special operation center to deputy chief of criminal investigations and Shawn Jones from the airport to deputy chief of the support services division.
"We think it rewards folks who've done the job well," Turner told reporters.
Some of the people who held those positions left the department with former Chief Richard Pennington. Other changes were described as lateral moves.
Lt. Scott Kreher, head of the city's largest police union, said the changes are well-received because the new hierarchy is composed of experienced officers who will "get back to crime fighting." He said the most significant change may be Finley, whom he described as a "hard-charging" officer who could put in place several initiatives to combat the rise in property crimes.
Kreher said the moves may determine whether Turner gets the chief job permanently. Reed is conducting a search for chief and wants to hire someone within 120 days.
Turner said department officials were meeting Tuesday to discuss some crime fighting objectives. He said the department is going to work with the Fulton County District Attorney's office on a burglary task force. The 50 officers hired through a federal grant will be used for community policing, Turner said.
Hallmarks of Reed's campaign were combating violent crime and street gangs and increasing the size of the police force. The mayor said opening all of the city's recreation centers should help keep young people off the streets and out of trouble. Reed said he's started a "robust fund-raising effort" with some of the city's big businesses to pay for opening and operating the centers.
The new mayor, who was sworn in Monday, said he woke up at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday and held several meetings with city officials before attending a luncheon at the Kiwanis Club of Atlanta.
There, he told the crowd of about 150 people that he wants to make it easier for businesses to operate in the city.
"Any elected official who is not focused on retaining jobs and job creation in this (economic) environment is missing it," Reed said.
His statement that he wants to improve the permitting department got a smattering of applause. The mayor said he's looking at Cobb County as a model of how the city can help businesses get their permits approved more quickly. Reed said the effort will be led by senior policy adviser David Bennett, a former AJC reporter.
Chris Burke, vice president of government affairs for the Greater Atlanta Homebuilders Association, said the permitting process is slower in Atlanta in part because it's easier for citizens to appeal building permits.
Reed said he wants to create what he described as an "economic development czar" who reports directly to him. That person will work to create and retain jobs for businesses in the city as well as assisting them. The mayor said it will differ from the Atlanta Development Authority because the new position "gives speed to decision-making, speed to input and speed to what problems are out there."
The mayor was asked about his vision for the Beltline project, a 22-mile loop that's envisioned to have mixed-use development and more greenspace over the next two decades. Reed said he wants to speed up the Beltline development process to eight to 12 years, but he said his immediate focus is on preparing a proposal to the Obama administration to get funding for the Peachtree Streetcar project, which is estimated to cost $300 million.
"It's hard for the public to remain engaged in it," Reed said of the Beltline. "You are already seeing Beltline fatigue."
Police department changes
POSITION PAST PERSON NEW PERSON
Assistant Police Chief Alan Dreher Peter Andresen
Deputy Chief of Field Operations Peter Andresen Ernest Finley
Deputy Chief of Criminal Investigations Carlos Banda Calvin Moss
Deputy Chief of Support Services George Turner Shawn Jones
Chief of Staff Pearlene Williams Ericka Shields
Office of Professional Standards Lane Hagin Moses Perdue
Vehicles for Hire Malachi Hall Same
Zone 1 Commander Valerie Dalton Same
Zone 2 Commander Robert Browning Same
Zone 3 Commander Ernest Finley Reginald Mitchell
Zone 4 Commander Moses Perdue Khalfani Yabuku
Zone 5 Commander Khirus Williams Same
Zone 6 Commander Renee Propes John Dalton
Special Operations Section Calvin Moss Lane Hagin
Airport Section Shawn Jones Renee Propes
Major Crimes John Dalton Keith Meadows
Special Enforcement Debra Williams Christopher Leighty
Corporate Services Major Dallas Debra Williams
Information Services Daryl Tolleson Same
Training Siobhan O’Brien Same
Communications Section Brenda Ross Same
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