After rise in killings, Atlanta cops vow to do battle with crime

Atlanta police surrounded a home in southwest Atlanta — Zone 3 for city police — for several hours in June, but when SWAT officers went into the house, the person whey were looking for was not there. They did recover three rifles and a revolver. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

Atlanta police surrounded a home in southwest Atlanta — Zone 3 for city police — for several hours in June, but when SWAT officers went into the house, the person whey were looking for was not there. They did recover three rifles and a revolver. JOHN SPINK/JSPINK@AJC.COM

Mayor Kasim Reed and a small army of police brass faced the media this week to say there's something brewing out there on the streets. Shootings and killing are suddenly spiking, although Reed & Co. are quick to reassure the public that crime overall is trending down. It's just the worst, most noticeable type of crime that is not going in the right direction.

In the past month, killings are up 200 percent over the same time last year. Yep, 200 percent. And police are befuddled. They won't come out and say that exactly, because the public wants answers. But it's hard to keep some numbskull from killing someone he has it in for. Police usually are called after the gunsmoke clears.

Still, they have to act, so they launched Operation Whiplash, which will redeploy cops to crack down on the latest spate of violence.