Operation Heatwave aims to continue reduction of gangs and violent crime in Atlanta

“It is a model that was extremely successful and had a tremendous impact on our violent crime,” Deputy Chief Charles Hampton Jr. said. “We won’t tolerate the level of violence that is plaguing our city. We are going to hold everyone responsible with these violent acts. This is not Atlanta. Atlanta is a place people can go out to the parks, nightclubs, everywhere and be safe.”

So far this year, the city of Atlanta has seen a reduction in violent crime as well as a drop in homicides compared to last year. According to APD data, violent crime has fallen 24% , and homicides have dropped 31%.

Hampton credited the work by officers and investigators in solving homicides quickly and bringing closure to families as one of the reasons homicides have gone down this year.

“Being able to apprehend individuals quickly, I think that also sends a message that Atlanta is not the place to do this. We have talented men and women in our investigative division, our patrol division that we are going to bring people responsible that is creating chaos in the city,” he said.

Hampton acknowledges a gang problem within the city and country. He said that the department is trying to address and target the problem within the city.

Special Enforcement Captain Ralph Woolfolk said there are about 71,000 active gang members statewide and an estimated 3,500 within city limits that belong to around 100 to 150 sets or subsets of gangs.

“We are not afraid of these gangs. We will meet these gangs where they are, in their strongholds,” Woolfolk said.

The department is waiting for a new law, signed by Gov. Brian Kemp earlier this year, that will go into effect July 1 that will bring stiffer penalties to gang recruiters.

“We are going to charge individuals for any type of furtherance of gang activity inside the city of Atlanta. We are going to do our part to make sure gangs know they are not welcomed within the city of Atlanta,” Hampton said.

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

Credit: Natrice Miller/AJC

As the summer months continue and children are out of school, Woolfolk told parents to make sure they are keeping up and know what their children are doing. He said there are a vast number of resources, including youth programs within the city, that parents can use to keep their children out of trouble.

“We need for parents to wake up and pay attention to what their children are doing this summer,” Woolfolk said. “There are places to go, there are jobs that are being offered to our youth. There are places to spend positive time and interaction with mentors and all kinds of resources that have been allocated for our youth.”

Woolfolk said the goal is not to arrest kids or parents but rather to divert youth to opportunities away from crime. However, he said that those who wish to continue down the wrong path will have to deal with the consequences.

“This is the only warning we are going to administer here,” he said. “Should you not take advantage of those opportunities, you will meet the Atlanta police department.”

This week, city council softened the city’s curfew law taking out penalties of jail times and fines for parents whose children are out on the streets past 11 p.m. Hampton said curfews are a tool law enforcement can and will use but would rather focus on other violent crimes.

“When you talk about curfews, when you talk about kids being out late, those are parental responsibilities. We are asking parents to know where their kids are,” he said. “We do not want to come in contact with kids after hours. We do not. There are more violent crimes that we want to prevent than to follow up with kids after curfew.”