Atlanta Police Department
Encyclopedia
The Atlanta Police Department is the law enforcement agency of 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 1,639-officer force is led by Chief of Police George N. Turner
. At the urging of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed
, the Atlanta Police Department sought to have 2000 officers by the end of 2007. The department did not reach that goal, and recent fiscal problems have curtailed any large-scale effort to expand APD's ranks.
.
, violation of oath, criminal solicitation
, and making false statements. One additionally pleaded guilty to perjury
. Furthermore, the federal probe into the police department revealed that Atlanta Police Vice Detectives routinely lied to obtain search warrants, including often falsifying affidavit
s.
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 Eagle Bar (which catered to gay persons). In June of 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 (the federal prosecutors informed the Atlanta Police Department that they would never be used again in a federal prosecution).
On April 8, 2011, APD officers shot a 64 year old 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.
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 Highway 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
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Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, U.S
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
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 1,639-officer force is led by Chief of Police George N. Turner
George N. Turner
George N. Turner is the Chief of Police for the City of Atlanta, Georgia. Turner assumed this position as interim chief on January 4, 2010, at the direction of new Mayor, Kasim Reed, due to the resignation of Richard Pennington. Turner became the permanent Police Chief on July 9, 2010.Turner has...
. At the urging of Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed
Kasim Reed
Mohammed Kasim Reed, known as Kasim Reed, is a Democratic politician and the 59th Mayor of Atlanta, who previously represented the 35th District of the Georgia State Senate. He was a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1998 to 2002...
, the Atlanta Police Department sought to have 2000 officers by the end of 2007. The department did not reach that goal, and recent fiscal problems have curtailed any large-scale effort to expand APD's ranks.
Zones
See full article Zones of AtlantaZones of atlanta
In Atlanta, Georgia, there are six "patrol zones" which lie under the jurisdiction of the Field Operations Division of the Atlanta Police Department. These zones were created by the APD in order to better serve the city of Atlanta by increasing the effiency of Police patrols...
.
| Patrol Zone | Area served |
|---|---|
| Zone 1 | Western Atlanta |
| Zone 2 | Northern Atlanta |
| Zone 3 | Southern Atlanta |
| Zone 4 | South-West Atlanta |
| Zone 5 | Downtown |
| Zone 6 | Eastern Atlanta |
| Airport Section | Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport |
Ranks and Insignia
| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Chief of Police |  |
| Assistant Chief |  |
| Deputy Chief |  |
| Major |  |
| Captain Police captain - France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant.... |
 |
| Lieutenant Lieutenant A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank... |
 |
| Sergeant Sergeant Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent.... |
|
| Police Officer |  |
Corrections
The Atlanta Police Department works with the City of Atlanta Corrections Department, which operates three jails;| Jail | Type of inmate |
|---|---|
| City Detention Center | Pretrial 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 Center | Custodial services patients at the general hospital (Grady Memorial Hospital Grady Memorial Hospital Grady Memorial Hospital, frequently referred to as Grady Hospital or simply Grady, is the largest hospital in the state of Georgia and the public hospital for the city of Atlanta. It is the 5th largest public hospital in the United States, as well as one the busiest Level I trauma centers in the... ) |
| Court Detention Center | Prisoner movements for judicial proceedings in the Municipal Court |
Demographics
Breakdown of the makeup of the rank and file of APD- Male: 83%
- Female: 17%
- African-American/Black: 57%
- Caucasian/White: 41%
- Hispanic: 1%
- Asian: 1%
Controversies
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 manslaughterManslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
, violation of oath, criminal solicitation
Solicitation
Literally, solicitation means: 'urgently asking'. It is the action or instance of soliciting; petition; proposal. In criminal law, it most commonly refers to either the act of offering goods or services, or the act of attempting to purchase such goods or services...
, and making false statements. One additionally pleaded guilty to perjury
Perjury
Perjury, also known as forswearing, is the willful act of swearing a false oath or affirmation to tell the truth, whether spoken or in writing, concerning matters material to a judicial proceeding. That is, the witness falsely promises to tell the truth about matters which affect the outcome of the...
. Furthermore, the federal probe into the police department revealed that Atlanta Police Vice Detectives routinely lied to obtain search warrants, including often falsifying affidavit
Affidavit
An affidavit is a written sworn statement of fact voluntarily made by an affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation administered by a person authorized to do so by law. Such statement is witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public...
s.
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 Eagle Bar (which catered to gay persons). In June of 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 (the federal prosecutors informed the Atlanta Police Department that they would never be used again in a federal prosecution).
On April 8, 2011, APD officers shot a 64 year old 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.
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 Moible 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 and frequent pursuits, only all wheel drive or rear wheel drive vehicles are considered.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 Highway 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
Smith & Wesson M&P
The Smith & Wesson Model 10, previously known as the Smith & Wesson Military & Police or the Smith & Wesson Victory Model, is a .38-caliber revolver developed from the Smith & Wesson .38 Hand Ejector Model of 1889. In production since 1899, it is a fixed-sight, six-shot handgun with a fluted...
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See also
- List of law enforcement agencies in Georgia
- Atlanta Chief of Police