Council Members Say Browning Confident on Zone 2 Realignment

Buckhead's City Council members Yolanda Adrean and Howard Shook said Tuesday that Commander Maj. Robert Browning expressed confidence to them that he has enough manpower and equipment for the zone's expansion.

Adrean, who represents District 8, said Browning “is feeling very positive and ready” for the zone’s expansion, which took place Tuesday morning.

Adrean said she talked to Browning Tuesday morning about the realignment, with increased Zone 2, the largest in the city, from 36.1 to 39.5 square miles. Despite the zone’s size — “we are absolutely huge,” she said — Browning expressed confidence in having sufficient resources to accommodate the new territory.

The Atlanta Police Department's Web site has a map of the realigned zones, allowing residents to find in which beat they are located.

Shook, who represents District 7, also talked to Browning Tuesday morning and said that Browning is "very comfortable with the manpower level as we take on the new territory. He's the major, and if he's got a problem, or thinks he is being shortchanged, he will tell me. He sounds fine with the new boundaries."

Adrean said that she and Shook, who were concerned last spring that the addition of the Cheshire Bridge adult entertainment area would burden the zone, acquired an extra umbrella car and additional police officers for the expansion. She said that she and Shook would monitor the realignment.

“We’ll see if the stats bear it out, we’ll see what kind of strain that puts on Zone 2,” she said. “If it’s not working well, you can bet that Howard and I will be putting pressure where it needs to be. We’ll absolutely keep our eye on it.”

She said Browning cited the zone’s 13 percent decrease in crime this year in all categories, including robberies. The zone is presently down four or five officers, she said, but new recruits from the police academy soon will make up the difference. Shook said the new recruits will be in duty in early January. Browning recently told NPU-A that he would receive 15 to 18 additional officers.

In the realignment, Zone 2 will receive beats in the Morningside neighborhood and Cheshire Bridge Road corridor. A new “superbeat” will be created in the Lenox Mall/Phipps Plaza area, giving the zone 13 beats from its previous 10.

Adrean also said that Buckhead needs more security cameras connected to the city’s video integration center. The is funding security cameras in the Buckhead central buiness district, and the Buckhead Coalition is sponsoring a program outside the CID’s boundaries, but she said “we definitely need more.”

She said that the impact of Zone 2’s expansion will be lessened by Lenox and Phipps’ private security personnel.