APD reports mixed crime trends; PAD outlines diversion work and seeks more 911/311 integration

Atlanta Police Department and the city's Policing Alternative Diversion Division (PAD) briefed the City Council Public Safety Committee on May 27 on crime trends, the city's diversion work and opportunities to redirect low-priority emergency calls away from sworn officers.

Deputy Chief Collier of APD said weekly crime was down 12% but that some specific categories rose: shoplifting was up about 8% and aggravated-assault counts increased in recent 28-day comparisons. "We continue to reduce crime with 12% down," Collier said; he added the department had made 27 arrests in a cited period and that shootings were down 26% year over year, even as knife-related aggravated assaults rose.

PAD's executive director, Mokimasias, told the committee that PAD had responded to more than 500 calls for service from January through April 2025 and enrolled 42 people in long-term case management. The agency's expanded multiyear contract that began in January 2025 allowed PAD to increase hours and staff; PAD now offers community-response teams on weekdays from 7 a.m. to midnight and reported an average response time of about 15 minutes.

Why it matters: PAD officials argued many low-priority calls consume extensive…