Shoppers will see more police officers patrolling Atlanta malls during the holiday season.
The increased police presence is part of an ongoing effort to reduce crime in the city and especially at shopping centers where large numbers of people are expected to visit during November and December, said Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens at a Nov. 2 press conference at Lenox Square in Buckhead.
“We want, as we go into the shopping season, for people across the City of Atlanta to know that we will be vigilant about making sure that people can shop, that they can dine, that they can entertain in peace,” Dickens said.
“Whether it’s here at Lenox, whether it’s at Phipps, whether it’s at the Mall West End, Greenbrier, Buckhead Village, whether it’s Ponce City Market, small businesses across the City of Atlanta — we plan to make sure that you are safe,” he said. “This year, we are being extremely vigilant at all of our shopping centers.”
Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the department’s holiday plan includes cutting the hours administrative officers spend at police headquarters and sending them to work at shopping areas across the city.
“You will see more Atlanta Police officers out, you will see more Atlanta Police cars where you go to enjoy the holiday season,” Schierbaum said.
Violent crimes are down across the city. The Atlanta Police Department has reported a 17% drop in homicides, a 49% decrease in rapes, and an 18% decline in aggravated assault, according to its most recent data reports.
“We are fortunate that we were seeing a reduction in homicides, in shootings in our city and other crimes against persons,” Schierbaum said.
But too many criminals are gaining access to guns, he said. He stressed locking cars and putting guns in lockboxes to keep the weapons out of the hands of criminals.
“If you’re going to be a responsible gun owner, it’s not only how to shoot the weapon, it’s how to secure the weapon,” he said.
APD is also beginning “Operation Deep Freeze” as the holiday season begins, Schierbaum said. The campaign is a collaborative effort between APD and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the District Attorney’s office, and the state Attorney General’s office.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Attorney’s office are also part of Operation Deep Freeze.
The operation is to make sure “that individuals that we know pose a risk to all 245 of our neighborhoods, who are wanted or who have been engaged in criminal activity, that they are located, they are arrested, and they are put before a courtroom,” Schierbaum said.
The police chief asked residents to register their home security cameras with APD.
He also offered several tips for people to take during the holiday season and year-round:
• Keep shopping packages with you and do not leave them in your car while going from store to store;
• When having packages being delivered to your home, make sure you’re going to be home or you have them delivered to a trusted neighbor or location within your community that has volunteered to do that for you;
• When going out of town, stop mail delivery or have someone pick your mail up. Also keep house lights on a timer.