Kemp State Of The State, Emergency Declaration Put Crime In Focus

By T.A. DeFeo | The Center Square contributor, The Center Square Georgia

January 31, 2023

(The Center Square) — Crime and public safety are again at the forefront in Georgia following the shooting of a state trooper and violent protests in the heart of Atlanta over a proposed police training center.

This week, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp made public safety a part of his state of the state address. The governor also declared a state of emergency, activating 1,000 National Guard troops, a move ahead of possible protests this weekend.

The declaration expires at 11:59 p.m. on Feb. 9.

"For far too many Georgians, the safety of their families and homes is put at risk by the unchecked crimes of street gangs," Kemp said in his speech. "We have made great strides in curbing crime. But now, this fight is entering a new phase, and law enforcement needs your help to continue to achieve success."

Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr, both Republicans, are proposing legislation to increase penalties for anyone who tries to recruit children into a gang.

"In communities across our state, gangs are actively recruiting children as young as elementary school students into a life of crime," Kemp said. "They are targeting the most innocent among us, pulling them down a dark path that too often leads to either a prison cell or the cemetery."

Atlanta businesses are likely to welcome the governor’s commitments.

"We’ll support anything to protect property and businesses and people’s livelihoods," National Federation of Independent Business State Director Hunter Loggins told The Center Square. "There’s a lot of damage that happens all the time, so any time there’s more folks to protect the community and these businesses is a good thing."

A new analysis from WalletHub identified Atlanta as the city with the biggest homicide rate problem, edging out Baltimore and Detroit.

"The takeaway for lawmakers and policymakers is that lowering the homicide rate should be made a priority," analyst Jill Gonzalez told The Center Square. "The issue can be approached in several ways, including increasing the number of police officers on the streets or implementing violence intervention programs."

"At the same time, policymakers could also address the potential causes that lead to violence and increased homicide rates," Gonzalez added. "These typically include economic factors, such as unemployment or financial hardship, drug use or even mental health problems."

According to WalletHub, "the homicide rates in 45 of the most populated cities declined by roughly 7% between the fourth quarter of 2021 and the fourth quarter of 2022." However, Atlanta saw the highest increase in homicides per capita between the fourth quarter of 2021 and the fourth quarter of 2022.

"The takeaway for residents is that public safety and the wellbeing of the community go beyond law enforcement and local authorities," Gonzalez told The Center Square. "People can also contribute to their community’s safety. Human organizations and institutions such as schools, addiction treatment facilities, mental health providers and even religious establishments play a significant part in creating and maintaining strong, healthy and safe communities."

The focus of the work of The Center Square Georgia is state and local-level government and economic reporting that approaches stories with a taxpayer sensibility.