Up to 50 Atlanta officers headed to Cleveland for GOP convention

ATLANTA - About 30 to 50 Atlanta Police officers are reportedly headed to Cleveland this summer to help the police force there during the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Atlanta Police Chief George Turner declined a request for an interview with FOX 5 News in regards to this report. The department did send a statement explain they will be able to make up for the local coverage during the month of July.

Still, some citizens have been very vocal about the decision calling it a bad idea in the wake of a department which has openly admitted it is short officers.

The chief also explained that they will extend the same courtesy to the city of Philadelphia which hosts the Democratic Convention later that same month.