Mayor names Darin Schierbaum as interim Atlanta police chief

ATLANTA - Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens announced the person filling the role of retiring Police Chief Rodney Bryant and a summer safety plan to lower violent crimes across the city.

Dickens announced Assistant Chief Darin Schierbaum as Interim Chief, after Bryant announced his second retirement in April 2022.

"He has the credentials and the experience, but perhaps most importantly, he as the trust of his peers and the trust of the city," Dickens said.

Schierbaum is a 20-year veteran of the Atlanta Police Department, which he joined in 2002. He started as a beat cop in Midtown and worked his way through the ranks of the Atlanta Police Department. Schierbaum made his way into command in March 2020 as Deputy Chief, then became assistant chief in 2022.

"It's certainly an honor and humbling to be serving the men and women of this great police department and the 242 unique neighborhoods that make up the city of Atlanta," Schierbaum said.

The mayor said the city has started the process of finding a permanent chief. 

Schierbaum addressed officers at the end of the presentation of the summer plan, explaining the city had to prioritize keeping them with the department.

"We're the largest police department in the state," Schierbaum said. "Our officers will arrest more, investigate more, collaborate more, care more, problem-solve more than any other police department in the state of Georgia, and I'm proud to stand beside them."

The summer safety plan initiative, which Dickens and Atlanta Police Chief Rodney Bryant are set to unveil Tuesday morning, is just one of the plans officials have used to try to tackle crime in the area.

At his inauguration in January, Dickens highlighted a promise to the city.

"The first 100 days of my administration will be laser focused on reducing crime," he said.

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The mayor has already implemented a few initiatives aimed at crime including creating a nightlife division and a repeat offenders unit of the Atlanta Police Department.

Dickens also promised he would hire more police officers.

Earlier in the year, the mayor was at a police recruitment event. His goal? Hiring 250 more officers.

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"The community is going to be safe as we move forward with all these greet plans we have," he said. "This is taking place right before our eyes today."

The efforts to curb crime are being put into place as violent crimes continue to rise.

Data from Atlanta police shows violent crimes are up from the same time in 2021.

According to the data, homicides are up 32 percent, rapes are up 16 percent, and aggravated assaults are up 3 percent.