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Piedmont Park high on list of Atlanta parks experiencing violent crime
A new police division will patrol day and night at Atlanta parks. The report is in the wake of two high-profile murders at parks this summer.
ATLANTA - The Atlanta Police Department broke down when and where violent crimes occur in parks around the city during an Atlanta City Council meeting.
Piedmont Park, the site of a brutal stabbing of a resident this summer, is near the top in ranking.
The crime statistics factor into the ranking date back to 2018. They show Woodruff, Rosa Burney, Grant Park and Piedmont Park make up the top four on the list.
Overall, the incidents that take place in the parks are "minuscule" compared to the dangers residents and visitors encounter month to month, according to Captain Lucas Wagaman.
Nonetheless, he told the Atlanta City Council public safety committee it is still a concern.
At the urging of Councilman Michael Bond, the police department soon will deploy a dedicated division to patrol the major parks.
The squad will have 17 officers. With salaries and equipment, the annual costs will be about $1.7 million dollars.
"We have to have a unit that will just concentrate on our parks," said Bond, "They don't need to be pulled every time there may be a stolen car or burglary nearby."
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