Crime in College Park Declines 18 Percent In 2024, Violent Crime Drops 22 Percent, Crimes Against Property 21 Percent
The City of College Park Police Department today announced that overall crime in the city declined 18 percent in 2024 from 2023, with violent crime dropping 22 percent and crimes against property down 21 percent.
The city experienced a reduction in crime citywide according to College Park Police Chief Connie Rogers. “In the last few years, we have used a comprehensive approach to reduce crime throughout the community,” she said. “In 2024 as well 2023, where we had double digit percent decline in crime, we saw the fruits of our efforts begin pay off with less crime in just about every statistical category” noting that theft from motor vehicles was down 43 percent in the city last year and motor vehicle theft dropped 14 percent.
Rogers said the College Park police force has launched a number of initiatives to help reduce crime, especially in high traffic corridors or neighborhoods plagued by crime like the Old National Highway corridor that had a 50 percent drop in crime in 2024. Last month, the police department’s traffic unit conducted a multi-agency Distracted Driver Enforcement detail focusing on the Old National Highway, Old National Parkway and Godby Road corridors.
College Park worked with the Fulton Sheriff’s Office, Fulton County Marshals, City of South Fulton Police Department, Georgia State Patrol and the Georgia Motor Carrier Compliance Division to issue 306 citations and mad three arrests including a felony arrest.
College Park is surrounded by Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, straddles two counties and has two MARTA stations. Because its zip code covers College Park, and parts of the City of South Fulton, East Point and Atlanta, some annual crime surveys mistakenly attribute criminal activity to College Park when it occurred outside its police jurisdiction. College Park officials are working to have the city boundaries included in its own zip code that is not shared with other municipalities.
Since becoming Chief in December 2022, Rogers has focused on upgrading the city’s police department including regaining State of Georgia Law Enforcement Certification from the Georgia Association of Police Chiefs. College Park Police had previously initially earned the designation from 2009 to 2021.
Certification is an honor requiring ongoing officer and command staff training, and typically only attained by less than 20 percent of Georgia’s more than 500 police agencies and departments.
“Our goal has been to rebuild our force strength and improve our capabilities, facilities, processes and practices,” said Rogers, who served as a College Park police officer for 10 years and was the deputy police chief for The City of South Fulton before returning to College Park. “We were very pleased and proud to once again attain state certification, an achievement that is reflective of the high caliber of the officers I am privileged to lead.”
Rogers expects the police department to reach full capacity by December 2025, the first time it will be fully staffed since 2019. After that milestone is reached, the department will focus more attention on retention of officers.
“Money is not the top reason people leave, people leave because of bad management,” Rogers said. “We must be the best mentors we can be for our officers. It’s about the service we pour into them, so they pour their service into the community.”
Covering an area of 11.1 square miles, College Park is home to several significant landmarks, including the world headquarters of Chick-fil-A and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which is the busiest airport in the world. Additionally, it hosts Woodward Academy, the largest and one of the most prestigious K-12 private schools in the continental United States.
College Park has a vibrant historical community and is committed to advancing new technologies and alternative fuel and energy platforms. The city’s forward-thinking mission emphasizes economic development, hospitality, and entertainment. Among its key facilities, the Georgia International Convention Center features the largest ballroom in the state of Georgia. The Gateway Center Arena College Park serves as the home for the College Park Skyhawks and the Atlanta Dream. For more information, visit www.CollegeParkGA.com.
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