Atlanta crime drops 13%, but MLK corridor residents raise concerns
Residents express concern despite drop in Atlanta crime
Overall crime and shootings have declined across Atlanta compared with last year, police told a city committee Tuesday, but residents near the Martin Luther King Jr. corridor said recent violence remains a concern.
ATLANTA - Overall crime and shootings have declined across Atlanta compared with last year, police told a city committee Tuesday, but residents near the Martin Luther King Jr. corridor said recent violence remains a concern.
What they're saying:
Deputy Chief Jason Smith presented the figures to the Public Safety Committee, reporting a 13% reduction in overall crime and a 23% decrease in shootings.
Police report decline in crime
Smith also told committee members that nearly 1,300 people have participated in the criminal diversion program, which provides an alternative to jail for nonviolent offenders.
Residents raise concerns about MLK corridor
The other side:
During the same meeting, neighbors living near the Martin Luther King Jr. corridor urged city leaders to address crime in their area.
Their concerns followed a shooting Friday in which a man was shot during an attempted robbery.
RELATED: 1 shot during attempted robbery in southwest Atlanta, police say
One resident told the committee that neighbors had previously warned city leaders that more needed to be done to prevent crime in the area.
More than 240 arrests in the area
The response:
Smith said police have made more than 240 arrests and conducted more than 1,200 traffic stops in the area. Nearly half of those arrests were drug-related.
He said the department plans to continue working to find solutions to residents’ concerns.