Atlanta Police Department


The Atlanta Police Department is a law enforcement agency in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
The city shifted from its rural-based Marshal and Deputy Marshal model at the end of the 19th century. In 1873, the department was formed with 26 officers. Thomas Jones was elected the first Atlanta Chief of Police by the city council.
The 1,700+ officer force is currently being led by former Assistant Police Chief Rodney Bryant, after Chief Erika Shields resigned following the killing of Rayshard Brooks. Bryant will serve as interim police chief until the city finds replacement.

Ranks and insignia

Corrections

The Atlanta Police Department works with the City of Atlanta Corrections Department, which operates three jails:
JailType of inmate
City Detention CenterPretrial arrestees, sentenced ordinance and traffic offenders and custody of federal prisoners awaiting trial pursuant to a contract with the U.S. Marshals Service
Grady Detention CenterCustodial services patients at the general hospital
Court Detention CenterPrisoner movements for judicial proceedings in the Municipal Court

Demographics

Breakdown of the makeup of the rank and file of APD as of 2013:
A federal investigation was conducted into the Atlanta Police Department's practices after the 2006 killing of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston, who shot at officers as they entered her home unannounced on a no-knock warrant. Prosecutors alleged that the officers falsified information and documents after the killing to justify the serving of the warrant. On April 26, 2007, two officers pleaded guilty to manslaughter, violation of oath, criminal solicitation, and making false statements. One additionally pleaded guilty to perjury.
On July 8, 2011, it was reported in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that six police officers were fired for lying about events concerning a raid on the Atlanta Eagle Bar. In June 2011, a 343-page report was released that details how 16 officers lied or destroyed evidence when asked about the raid on the Eagle Bar. At least two of the officers in question had been cited for lying on another occasion in a federal drug case in October 2009.
On April 8, 2011, APD officers shot a 64-year-old U.S. Marine veteran who had fired several shots at the ground in front of a man who was stealing from him, which was a frequent occurrence. He lost his kidney, and while he was eventually released from prison in early November after prosecutors finally dropped charges—after threatening him with 105 years in prison—his home and that of his deceased father had been looted and burnt by criminals who stole almost all his personal and business possessions. APD officers claimed Sturdivant pointed his rifle at the officers, who never identified themselves, a point disputed by Sturdivant's public defender given that the one bullet of the 14 officers fired that actually hit him, traveled through the side of the rifle's stock.
On May 30, 2020, during the George Floyd protests in Georgia, Atlanta police pulled two black students from their car, broke a car window, and used Tasers to shock them. This came after officers arrested a classmate of theirs whom they wanted to pick up; an officer ordered the students to continue driving, which they complied. One officer claimed that one of the students possessed a gun, but no gun was found. One of the students stated that he was punched over 10 times in the back after being arrested. Within days, six officers were charged as a result of the incident; two were fired, and four were put on administrative leave. The Fulton County District Attorney, Paul Howard, stated that the two college students were "innocent almost to the point of being naive".
On June 12, 2020, APD officers were called to a Wendy's, where the suspect, Rayshard Brooks, was sleeping inside of a car with its engine on in the drive-thru lane of the establishment. Officers conducted a field-sobriety test on Brooks, which he failed, leading officers to attempt to put him in custody. According to the GBI, Brooks resisted and got into a physical struggle with an officer, which led to Brooks grabbing a taser from the officer. Once Brooks got a hold of the taser, he begun to flee. Surveillance footage shows Brooks fleeing about seven parking spaces in the parking lot. Brooks then turned around and fired the taser at the officer chasing him. That led to the officer retrieving and discharging his service weapon, firing three times at Brooks, striking him two times in the back. Brooks was taken to a local hospital, where he died after emergency surgery.

Equipment used by the Atlanta Police Department

Vehicles: Ford Police Interceptor equipped with state-of-the-art Whelen LED Lighting packages and digital control consoles along with Panasonic Toughbook Mobile Data Terminals. The Atlanta Police Department is currently reviewing the new Dodge Charger, Chevy Caprice, and Ford Taurus Police Interceptor packages for suitable replacement to the discontinued Ford Crown Victoria. Due to heavy wear and tear only all wheel drive or rear wheel drive vehicles are considered. In fall 2013, the Atlanta Police Department began phasing 70 new Ford Taurus Police interceptors into its fleet to replace the old Crown Victoria interceptors. The entire fleet totals around 300 vehicles and the remaining Crown Victoria interceptors will be phased out as they lose usefulness. The remaining 230 Crown Victoria interceptors will be replaced by Taurus interceptors over time.
Communications: Motorola Digital 800 MHz Trunking system that is one of the largest in the country and utilizes 24 channels. This system provides voice and data communications for the Atlanta Police, Fire, Watershed, Corrections and other Municipal Departments. The Atlanta Police Radio System also provides voice and data communications for the Georgia State Patrol inside of the Atlanta Metropolitan area and the City of Hapeville, The City of East Point, and the City of College Park.
Weapons: Smith & Wesson M&P.40 S&W; to be replaced by the Glock 22.
In July 2013 Glock secured a contract with the Atlanta Police Department for an order of 2300 full size Glock 22 Generation 4s to replace the Smith & Wesson M&P.40. This breaks a 70+ year relationship between Smith & Wesson and the APD. The Glock 22 was being phased into service within the department over time. The Glock 22 is chambered in the.40 caliber Smith & Wesson round like the M&P that it replaces. APD SWAT adopted the full size Glock 21 Gen 4 due to mission-specific requirements that favor the.45 ACP round over the.40 S&W round.
As of 2015, the department again transitioned to another 9mm handgun, the Glock 17 Gen 4, phasing out the.40 S&W Glock 22. The reason for this was modern 9x19mm bullet effectiveness and the fact 9mm puts less wear on the gun's components due to lower pressures compared to.40 S&W. The APD has standardized Winchester PDX1 147 grain 9mm ammunition.
The APD also trains and issues the AR-15 to many of its patrol officers to aid in tactical situations where a pistol and shotgun are out matched.

Police patrol zones of Atlanta

In the City of Atlanta, there are six "patrol zones" which lie under the jurisdiction of the Field Operations Division of the Atlanta Police Department.

Zones and constituent neighborhoods

Zone 1 covers the city's northwest side, west of Downtown Atlanta and north of I-20. Zone 2 covers all of the city's northern area. The Zone 3 area is located on the south/southeast and parts of southwest side of the city. The Zone 4 area is located on the southwest side of Atlanta. Zone 5 encompasses the central portion of APD's jurisdiction. Zone 6 includes all but the northernmost part of Atlanta's Eastside.
Zone 1Zone 2Zone 3Zone 4Zone 5Zone 6
Ashview HeightsBuckheadCapitol ViewAdamsvilleDowntown AtlantaCabbagetown
Atlanta University CenterWest MidtownCapitol View ManorBen HillFive PointsCandler Park
BankheadLenox ParkJoylandCascade HeightsGeorgia State UniversityEast Atlanta
English Avenue and Vine CityLindridge-Martin ManorLakewood HeightsGreenbriarCentennial Olympic ParkEast Lake
Center HillPiedmont HeightsMechanicsvilleWestviewMercedes-Benz StadiumGrant Park
Carey ParkPeoplestownOakland CityState Farm ArenaGlenwood Park
Collier HeightsPittsburghVenetian HillsGeorgia AquariumKirkwood
Grove ParkSummerhillWest EndGeorgia TechOld Fourth Ward
Hunter HillsVillages at CarverPiedmont ParkEdgewood
Knight Park-Howell StationMoreland AvenueAtlantic StationPoncey-Highland
Mozley ParkHome ParkReynoldstown
Washington ParkCastleberry Hill
West HighlandsCentennial PlaceVirginia-
Highland

2020 overhaul plans

On June 15, 2020, it was agreed that the Atlanta Police Department would undergo a major overhaul following the unrest which occurred following the killing of Rayshard Brooks.