Atlanta police chief lays out plan to help combat crime over summer months

ATLANTA — Atlanta’s police chief said he has developed a new plan to combat the rising crime throughout the city for this summer.

Officers said they are more concerned about crime this year because of fewer resources for kids operating at full capacity for summer due to COVID-19.

With kids out of school, it leads to more young suspects and more young victims.

Police Chief Rodney Bryant said Wednesday that his plan brings in new code enforcement tactics to target clubs staying open later by operating as restaurants.

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Bryant said he is centralizing the police investigations unit to free up more investigators.

He said the Atlanta Police Department will lean on the Department of Homeland Security and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives partners to help tackle violent crime and gun violence.

“This plan goes specific after violent crime. It goes specifically at the nightclubs that we’re continuing to have problems, it goes at the quality of life issues that the community continue to bring us concern with,” Bryant said.

The chief said his plan will need the community’s help to cut down on the more than 800 guns that have been stolen from cars this year alone.

“There’s a proliferation of weaponry in our city and people tend to put guns in their car and fail to secure them. These kids are specifically looking for guns in these cars, we are asking citizens to be more vigilant and more attentive to their weapons.”

How the community can expect to see the results of the chief’s plan, coming up on WSB Tonight at 11 p.m. on Channel 2.

Atlanta City Council asks police chief to present crime plan

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