The mayor and City Council and Dunwoody Police Department have honored the life of DeKalb County Police Officer Thomas S. Atkisson, who died in the line of duty 40 years ago while patrolling what is now Dunwoody.

Atkisson died Dec. 14, 1976, while he was patrolling the area that is now the city of Dunwoody.

Dunwoody Officer Brian Tate presents Susan Wilson, widow of Officer Thomas S. Atkisson of the DeKalb County Police Department, a sign commemorating her late husband’s service. The same sign now stands at the intersection of Ashford-Dunwoody Road and Perimeter Center West. (Dyana Bagby)

At the Dec. 12 council meeting, a proclamation was read and presented to Atkisson’s widow, Susan Wilson, who now lives in Alabama. Numerous family members of Atkisson also attended the meeting and to thank the city of Dunwoody for remembering their loved one.

As part of the memorial, the mayor and City Council have named the intersection of Ashford-Dunwoody Road and Perimeter Center West as the Thomas S. Atkisson Memorial Intersection. He is the only officer that worked in Dunwoody that has died in the line of duty, according to Chief Billy Grogan.

Officer Brian Tate, Mayor Denis Shortal and Susan Wilson. Wilson received a proclamation commemorating her late husband. (Dyana Bagby)

According to the proclamation, Atkisson was on patrol when he spotted a speeding motorcycle traveling northbound on Ashford-Dunwoody Road on Dec. 14, 1976.

Atkisson lost control of his police vehicle while attempting to catch up to the speeding motorcycle and struck a traffic light pole head-on in the center median of Ashford-Dunwoody Road and Perimeter Center West. His police car overturned and he died instantly, states the proclamation.

Dyana Bagby

Dyana Bagby is a staff writer for Reporter Newspapers and Atlanta Intown.