Crime decreasing in Atlanta faster than many cities nationwide, mayor says

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum and Mayor Andre Dickens gathered Friday to celebrate a 23% decrease in crime in the city’s Zone Four by 2025.

The reduction in southwest Atlanta represents the largest decline among all police areas in the city.

The drop in crime coincides with an expansion of the Atlanta Police Department and a significant decrease in youth crime citywide, which has fallen nearly 60 percent over the past four years.

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Officials provided the update at a southwest Atlanta restaurant, noting that the historic area includes neighborhoods such as Greenbriar, Cascade and West End.

Schierbaum thanked residents of southwest Atlanta for their role in the reduction.

According to police data, some crime categories saw double-digit declines in the area.

Burglaries were down 16%, while car thefts were down 38%.

The biggest drop occurred in car burglaries, which were down 41 percent.

“There’s one thing I will always say about zone four, you are the community and when you see something you say something and you expect your police department to do something,” Schierbaum said.

The chief also attributed the success to increased resources and personnel within the ministry. He noted the city now has more officers on the streets than in 2022 and has increased the number of patrol cars available for community presence.

“The mayor has made public safety a priority. He’s moved the police department back. We have more officers on the street now than in 2022. We have an increasing number of patrol cars to be able to be out in the community,” Schierbaum said.

Dickens emphasized that these statistical improvements have a direct impact on the safety of residents.

“We’ve had one of the biggest drops in crime of any city in the country over the last four years,” Dickens said. “So these are statistics that matter, because lives are on the other side. »

Police officials also noted that community members have helped reduce auto-related crimes by keeping valuables out of sight. By keeping car interiors free of items in the front and back seats, residents have made it more difficult for thieves to access stolen goods and firearms.

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