The Atlanta Police Academy last month graduated its latest class, 29 police recruits. That number is important because it puts the Atlanta Police Department closer than ever to its year-end goal of 2,000 sworn officers — a level the department has steadily worked toward for eight years and the largest police force this city has ever seen. In 2003, the Atlanta Police Foundation — formed that year to support the mayor, police chief and department — identified officer attrition and police visibility as core obstacles impeding the city’s crime fighting capabilities.
To turn things around, the APF put its Public Safety First strategy into action through recruitment and retention to shift the tide and support the APD to attract, hire and retain officers. More officers mean higher police visibility — one of the most effective tools in fighting crime.
More officers and higher police visibility are good for the city’s neighborhoods. Bank of America supports the Atlanta Police Foundation’s housing incentive program for APD officers — a model for revitalizing distressed neighborhoods by taking a public safety approach.
This innovative program helps attract officers to move into the city of Atlanta. Along with recruitment, housing incentives build police presence and visibility on the streets and in the zones in which officers live and work.
These efforts are paying off, and the recruitment push has made a big difference. The APD is hiring at a rate of more than 250 officers a year, compared to 138 officers annually over a 10-year average. The department’s non-retirement attrition rate is the lowest in the last eight years, with a 2 percent reduction since 2008. Police visibility is rising with every new officer on the street. The result: crime has been reduced another 15 percent since January 2010 – making Atlanta the safest it has been since 1969.
There are many reasons we will soon attain the 2,000-officer force. And we owe our thanks to the people and organizations that worked cooperatively to make this happen:
• Mayor Kasim Reed’s commitment to make public safety a priority ensures that APD will have 2,000 officers.
• Chief George Turner and other key APD leaders established an organizational structure to grow the department and deploy the recruits.
• The Atlanta City Council provided invaluable support.
• The Atlanta Police Foundation, whose mission is “to make Atlanta the safest and most inviting city for all its residents, workers and visitors.”
• The city’s philanthropic community, its nonprofits and foundations provided the financial and other support.
• The corporate and business community has offered tremendous support.
• And the police officers ho put their lives on the line every day.
Together, their hard work, support and financial commitment all assure a strong APD. That will make Atlanta a safer place for its residents, visitors, businesses and organizations that make this great city their home.
