Atlanta Police chief details crime declines, staffing gains and World Cup preparations in budget briefing

Chief, Atlanta Police Department, delivered a wide‑ranging presentation to the Atlanta City Council on the department’s use of the current budget and proposals for the coming year, saying officers and civilian staff have produced measurable crime reductions while preparing the city for major events.

The chief highlighted year‑to‑date and multiyear crime trends and operational metrics. “We continue to see a reduction around property crimes and overall crime in the city, as of last week down 11%,” the chief said. He also reported that crimes against persons are down 24% since 2022 and that homicides have fallen from 64 in 2022 to 30 so far this year.

The presentation outlined several specific enforcement and prevention efforts. The department said it removed 2,195 firearms from city streets using last year’s budgetary resources (in addition to 2,258 firearms recovered the previous year), shut down 73 unique drug‑dealing operations last year and 25 so far this year, and conducted focused efforts against street racing and illegal gambling. The chief said Operation Burnout led to 47 arrests of street racers, the seizure of 19 vehicles and recovery of six firearms, and that the department has shut down 15 illegal gambling operations, which it links to localized declines in gun violence.

The APD credited outreach and partners for some of the reductions and noted…