Atlanta police prepare for busy July 4th holiday

Atlanta police urge 'see something, say something' for July Fourth holiday

Atlanta police said many events in the city will be packed on the holiday. They want people to report anything they see that may be suspicious.

ATLANTA - There are a lot of events planned in Atlanta for the Fourth of July weekend, and police expect them to draw big crowds.

On Wednesday, Atlanta Police talked about the preparations for the long weekend ahead and how you can play a role in keeping people safe.

What we know:

From fireworks shows to the Peachtree Road Race to Atlanta’s final FIFA Club World Cup match, it is set to be a fun and action-packed Independence Day weekend ahead.
APD said pretty much every officer will be working this weekend on 12-hour shifts.

For the Peachtree Road Race on Friday, safety measures will be similar to last year with one new addition.

"We're deploying hundreds of vehicle barriers throughout the racecourse and what these various barriers will do is help prevent any type of vehicle attacks," said Deputy Chief Kelley Collier with Atlanta Police.

With the big crowds expected for the road race on Friday and the soccer match on Saturday, Atlanta Police urge people, if they see something, say something.

Last week, a 911 caller alerted them to a potential hate crime in Midtown. That call allowed officers to rush to the scene and make several arrests.

APD said cases like that show the importance of being on the lookout for trouble.

"Enjoy the venue, enjoy the event, but just kind of have some awareness about you," Collier said. "Notice things that are out of place and maybe a backpack or some type of package or something that's laying there and there's no one with it, please give us a call."

What they're saying:

"We've been doing this for some time now, and so I don't want to say we've mastered it, but we do pretty well at hosting large scale events," Collier said.

While officials want you to call 911 in an emergency, they say it is important to make the right call.

"If there are gunshots, we want you to call 911, but for those calls that you want to report fireworks or you want to report noise complaints, we ask that you either dial 311 and use option two," said Desiree Arnold, Executive Director of E-911.

Dig deeper:

The Atlanta Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance and awareness during this busy week to help keep everyone safe. If you see something, say something.
 

• Spot Suspicious Activity – Unattended bags, someone loitering near restricted areas, or anyone appearing unusually nervous or evasive.
• Report Quickly – Even a small tip matters. Call or text 911, or use its non-emergency line at (404) 658-6666. Share what you saw, where, when, and any descriptions you can.
• Prevent Harm – Your timely report could stop an incident before it starts. They say there is no such thing as a trivial concern; if it feels off, speak up.
• Keep Your Belongings Safe. As part of APD's Clean Car Campaign, never leave firearms or valuables in an unattended vehicle. If you must, use a lockable vehicle safe available at most sporting goods stores to help keep your valuables safe and to help keep your firearm from falling into the hands of a criminal.
• Plan Ahead & Travel Smart. Expect heavy traffic around race routes and stadiums. APD encourages visitors to use MARTA or ride-share services whenever possible.