Mayor: Former Atlanta Police Chief sought as Public Safety Commissioner

ATLANTA - Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms has been getting lots of pressure to improve public safety and on Tuesday she told FOX 5 exclusively about a major change. 

Bottoms said she thinks a new position, Public Safety Commissioner, will make a difference in the public safety realm and the person she has in mind is a familiar face to Atlanta, former Chief of Police George Turner. 

"It’s no secret that we have a shortage in the Atlanta Police Department and I think this really allows everyone to focus on their area with one person looking at public safety across Atlanta and a number of sectors and making sure we are operating efficiently," Bottoms said. "I’m very excited that our former police chief, George Turner, will be coming on a loan to us, as an executive on loan from the Atlanta Hawks. Taxpayers won't cover his salary from the year he is on loan."

The new position would be charged with overseeing the Atlanta Police Department, Fire Rescue Department, Corrections and Emergency Preparedness to ensure their working at peak efficiency.

"The Public Safety Commissioner is charged across the board with making sure we're all running on one accord," Bottoms said.

Bottoms said she thinks by adding the new position, it will help the city significantly, especially as Atlanta gets ready to host the Super Bowl. 

She said since Turner knows the players, it should be an easy fit. As for the longterm plan, the mayor believes the management structure – which the city had in the 1970s – is one that should work.