Police departments in metro Atlanta calling on communities to help make areas safe

ATLANTA — Police departments in metro Atlanta are calling on their communities to help in their mission to make neighborhoods safer.

Channel 2′s Michael Seiden was in Buckhead Wednesday and spoke to several sheriffs and police chiefs about their effort to fight violent crime.

Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a major increase in violent crime. Many have also witnessed their share of bad actors who have abused their badges.

But Wednesday, law enforcement said despite how many officers are on the streets or how many safety measures are in place, fighting crime starts with building relationships with the community.

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Police chiefs, sheriffs, officers, and deputies from across metro Atlanta gathered in Chamblee.

They declared that Oct. 7 - 10 will be “National Faith and Blue” weekend in Georgia and across the country.

“Times are tough. Violent crime is high nationwide so now more than ever, this is the perfect time to work with our community partners and faith-based organizations to address those issues that are impacting us all,” DeKalb County Police Chief Mirtha Ramos said.

This initiative, which was started in 2020, is all about bridging the gap between law enforcement and communities they serve.

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During that weekend, local and state agencies will work with faith-based leaders in their communities to help open a line of communication.

From barbeques to games to prayer, the weekend is being billed as the largest community outreach effort in American history.

This is all happening during a time when violent crime is seeing record numbers.

“The crime and violence that has terrorized too many of our communities cannot and will not be addressed by law enforcement alone,” Rev. Markel Hutchins said. “This community and every other community across this country has an obligation and a responsibility to stand in solidarity with our public safety professionals”

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