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Atlanta approves $1.5M for park camera upgrades, police patrols

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Published  March 19, 2024 11:55pm EDT
Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta

Vote to expand cameras, security at Atlanta parks

The murders of Jakari Dillard at the Anderson Park pool and Katie Janness at Piedmont Park sparked a nearly 3-year effort to put more camera in Atlanta’s major parks and increase patrols.

ATLANTA - The city of Atlanta  will invest $1.5 million in park safety this year after a unanimous vote from members of the city council on Monday night.

This money will continue to support a partnership between the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and Atlanta Police Department. These efforts started three years ago after two separate murders occurred in city parks.

"We want to make sure that all of our visitors and residents are safe in our parks," councilman Michael Bond told FOX 5.

Parkgoers can expect to see a continued police presence and camera upgrades at 20 of the city’s largest parks going into the warmer months.

The money will come from the city’s park improvement fund.

"This is an ongoing initiative to ensure all of our parks have POST certified police officers in them," Bond said.

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He told FOX 5 he started the program after the 2021 murders of 17-year-old Jakari Dillard, who was shot and killed at a pool in Anderson Park, and Katie Janness, who was found stabbed to death with her dog inside Piedmont Park.

"Having a police officer on site in Anderson Park may have prevented the young man from being killed," he said.

Police arrested and charged an 18-year-old in 2022 with Dillard’s shooting death.

No arrests have been made in connection with the Piedmont Park stabbing, which Bond said came with an added challenge for investigators.

"The camera that was there…it wasn’t tied into the video integration system," he explained.

He told FOX 5 the upgrades will provide police 24/7 access to the cameras.

Buckhead resident Jaydan Jackson said he feels it is taxpayer money well spent.

"Knowing there’s more of a presence here makes me feel a lot more safe," he said.

Park visitor Michelle Hall said she has mixed feelings.

"I’m not a fan of cameras monitoring everybody’s daily life," she stated.

Eventually, Bond hopes to expand the camera upgrades to every city park.

Katherine Janness was found murdered in Piedmont Park on July 28. She was seen walking her dog near the park prior to her death.

Katherine Janness was found murdered in Piedmont Park on July 28. She was seen walking her dog near the park prior to her death.

Police on nearby beats will also be able to access the new park cameras. 

If you have any information about the ongoing Katie Janness homicide investigation, APD officials ask that you reach out to detectives.