The Atlanta Police Foundation and the Atlanta Police Department recently opened a new neighborhood office in the Edgewood community, according to a press release.
The building formerly known as the “Red Store” on the corner of Mayson Avenue and Hardee street will serve as a beacon of community revitalization and a curtailment of the recent uptick of crime in the area.
“This location will enable our officers to increase their presence and actively pursue those responsible for committing violent assaults and homicides in that neighborhood in recent months,” said Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant. “We’re also seeking to create personal relationships among our officers and the citizens they serve, rather than merely responding to calls.”
While the so-called “Red Store” has long been hangout in the Edgewood community – a place for locals to exchange news, gossip, and purchase basic necessities -- it became a hotspot for illegal drug sales and violent crime in recent years. In 2019 alone, the location was home to over 60 emergency 9-1-1 calls as well as numerous accounts of discharged firearms.
“Transforming the store to a police facility gave us the option of preserving the historic building and repurposing it for more productive use, including community meetings,” said Dave Wilkinson, APF president and CEO.
“Neighborhood revitalization and community programs are key in reducing crime,” Wilkinson said. “This revitalization is consistent with APD’s focus on community engagement. Edgewood’s citizens deserve to live in a safe community, free from the violence and drug use that the Red Store was attracting.”
In addition to the renovation, APF is also funding the addition of special lighting for the Edgewood Community Learning Garden, a small park across the street from the store, as well as the installation of nine surveillance cameras that will be integrated into APF’s Operation Shield canopy of more than 11,000 cameras across the city.
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