Atlanta

Police preparing to keep you safe during Peach Drop

By Steve Gehlbach, WSB-TV
By Steve Gehlbach, WSB-TV

ATLANTA — Thousands of people are getting ready to pack downtown Atlanta for the annual Peach Drop.

We watched crews making final touches.

The big peach is in place and ready to mark the start of 2019.

After a year away from Underground Atlanta after sale of the property, the Peach Drop is back for the 30th annual New Year’s Eve tradition.

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Admission to the outdoor event is free, with gates opening at 6 p.m. and music starting at 7 p.m. Monday. This year’s celebration will feature musical acts Jagged Edge, 112 and Better than Ezra.

Channel 2's Steve Gehlbach saw the first people arrive at Underground Atlanta at 6 a.m. Monday.

After a year away from Underground Atlanta after sale of the property, the Peach Drop is back for the 30th annual New Year’s Eve tradition.

“We definitely use lessons learned from past experiences and past events to help us improve,” Kreher said.

Police say they have also learned from recent tragedies like the mass shooting in Las Vegas, where a gunman opened fire from 30 floors above a concert crowd.

“We learned from the Las Vegas incident. We want to make sure that we’re not just protecting on the ground level, but also above the event itself,” Kreher said.

Uniformed and undercover officers will be joined by Georgia State and MARTA police, along with state and federal partners.

Atlanta police will activate its joint operations center Monday, and staff at its video integration center will be monitoring a network of surveillance cameras.

With another huge event just a few weeks away, the Peach Drop provides good practice, for the big test when the Super Bowl comes to Atlanta.

“With these events that are leading up to the Super Bowl, it helps us tweak some of the minor things that we're looking at,” Kreher said.

The event is scheduled to go on rain or shine.

Cox Media Group

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