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ATLANTA - At the end of the summer, citizens packed a church to confront Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and his top police officials over rising crime.
They pleaded for something to be done. Mayor Reed pledged to boost police coverage, and now those homeowners believe they are seeing more patrols.
And that increased coverage is making them feel safer. A new deployment of bicycle riding cops, which usually are assigned to commercial strips, will be used in neighborhoods as well.
The president of the Midtown-Ponce Neighborhood Association said the bike patrols can be effective on narrow tree-lined streets, giving the officers more access, plus the element of surprise.
The changes are not just about perceptions. The officers patrolling the beats said, at least for now, they are seeing a reduction in criminal activity.