Atlanta Police Cut Response Times in Zone 5

When the Atlanta Police Department began looking at making staffing changes in its six zones, one of the main goals Police Chief George Turner outlined was to reduce officers' response times to service calls.

APD to balance officers' workload across the city.

Before the zone redesign, some officers -- including those patrolling areas such as Atlantic Station and Home Park -- were responding to more 911 calls than officers in other parts of the city.

A total of 12 beats were added when the maps were redrawn, increasing the number from 66 to 78 beats (A beat is a geographic area to which one patrolling officer is assigned per shift).

Zone 5 -- which covers neighborhoods including Midtown, Ansley Park, Home Park, Georgia Tech and Atlantic Station -- from 8.3 to 6.8 miles and added one police beat for a total of 12.

Most of the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood was moved into Zone 6.

As a result of the beat changes, Zone 5 gains one patrol car and five additional police officers.

According to data from APD, the adjustments already are reducing response times and the number of service calls in Zone 5.

Average response times for all service calls in Zone 5 decreased more than 50 percent since the new maps took effect in mid December.

From Dec. 15, 2010 to Jan. 15, 2011, the average response time was 11 minutes, 21 seconds. But Zone 5 response times averaged at five minutes, 28 seconds during the same period of time one year later.

Zone 5 also saw a 15 percent reduction in the total number of service calls -- from 781 calls Dec. 15, 2010 to Jan. 15, 2011 to 663 calls during the same period one year later.

Response times for high priority calls in Zone 5 also improved. The most significant reduction was during the evening watch, where response times were slashed from about six and a half minutes to about two and a half minutes.

Here's the complete data APD provided for Zone 5:

Zone 5, which includes Midtown and parts of Downtown