Atlanta police to increase patrols during holiday season
ATLANTA - Authorities have a plan in place to keep Atlanta safe during the holiday season.
"Your safety is our number one priority," Atlanta Police Chief George Turner said at a news conference Friday morning.
Chief Turner was joined by Fire Chief Joel Baker and Corrections Chief Patrick Labat to discuss what's being done to ensure Atlanta remains safe and secure during the holidays.
"During the holiday season, there's normally an uptake in crime," Chief Turner said. "Criminals need to know, we will not tolerate crime in the city of Atlanta."
At the news conference, Chief Baker provided fire safety tips and said there's no excuse for homes in Atlanta to not have a working smoke detector, stating they'll provide them for free and install them.
"We encourage every family to have a family fire protection plan in case your home catches fire," Baker said. "During Thanksgiving, cooking fires are four times greater than any other time. Please do not leave your food unattended on the stove."
At Tuesday's news conference, authorities announced a battle plan to combat crime, which will begin over the next several weeks.
Citizens will see extra police patrolling on bikes, horses and on foot around shopping areas and major corridors. One particular challenge will be the juveniles, according to police. They will soon be out of school and George Turner is asking parents to pay attention to what your children are doing.
The security plan will be bolstered by a fresh class of officers who just graduated on Wednesday. Their first assignment will be to hit the streets over the next few weeks to look out for shoppers.