Buckhead Public Safety Task Force Releases Final Report
ATLANTA — The Buckhead Public Safety Task Force (BPSTF) released a summary of its analysis and action plan following the conclusion of its scheduled meetings. District 8 Council member Mary Norwood and Post 1 At-Large Council member Michael Julian Bond introduced the legislation and the Atlanta City Council approved it in January to create the BPSTF (Legislative Reference No. 22-R-3001) following community concerns over increasing crime in the Buckhead area.
The task force included 22 members that were assembled to discuss methods to enhance safety in Buckhead in a series of six meetings in a span of 90 days.
Click here to read the full report.
Council members Norwood and Shook, along with several members of the task force, issued the following statements after the group’s final report:
“The collaboration from law enforcement on the task force at every level: state, county, and city, was extraordinary. Important information was shared, and many recommendations were proffered. I look forward to working with our task force members and their organizations to expand BCID’s successful supplemental police patrols in order to provide coverage throughout the entire Buckhead area.” – District 8 Council member Mary Norwood
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“Task Force participants were able to hear from a broad spectrum of public safety stakeholders, and I look forward to seeing that expertise translated into a meaningful action plan.” – District 7 Council member Howard Shook
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“APD continues to assign new officers to Zone 2 as recruit classes graduate. Additional department-wide resources, such as our Motors Unit, TITANS, and Mounted Patrol, are deployed to Zone 2 to address emerging crime trends as needed. Utilization of department-wide resources assisted in the reduction of crime in Zone 2 last year and resulted in Zone 2 winning the 2021 Crime Reduction Award.” – Deputy Chief Timothy Peek, Commander, Atlanta Police Department Field Operations Division
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“Being a member and the chairperson for the BPSTF gave me the opportunity to show my passion for the community and my continued commitment to public safety. In their common interests, the contributions of panelists showed they are equally as passionate and dedicated to ongoing solutions to a safer Buckhead.” – Valerie Sellers, Chairperson, Buckhead Public Safety Task Force