Stopping crime in Atlanta's west side

ATLANTA - Community members in Atlanta’s west side met with elected officials to talk about the problem of crime Tuesday. They all admit it will take lots of time and resources to fix the problems, but residents are fed up with it.

“We don’t want to wake up in the middle of the night and hear gunshots,” said concerned resident Dorothy Walker. “Unless I’m with somebody, I don't even go out of my door after dark.”

Over the last month, there has been a toddler injured at an apartment complex on Fairburn Road and a daycare burglary caught on camera on Myrtle Drive. Those are just two of the many crimes in the area. FOX 5 News also spoke with a school crossing guard who said a group pushed and robbed her of her car while she worked F.L. Stanton Elementary School.

“We want to make sure we get a handle on all of that,” said Cathy Brown.

That's why elected leaders, including Atlanta City Council President Felicia Moore, participated in a town hall meeting Tuesday at Mount Moriah Baptist Church. They talked about challenges in addressing crime such as an understaffed police force, a lack of economic development in some communities, and the need for more families to be involved. But they shared information on programs already in place to help, including summer youth activities, nonprofits, and re-entry programs for ex-offenders.

“We have to show up. We come here to be equipped but we leave to serve,” said Pastor Eric Hurst, Mt. Moriah Baptist Church.

FOX 5 News checked with the Atlanta Police Department who said overall crime is down 8 percent in south and northwest Atlanta over the last year. Still, police said they remain committed to working with communities to fight crime together.