Howard Shook Asks for Additional Zone 2 Resources

Buckhead City Councilman Howard Shook has expressed concerns over the planned expansion of Police Zone 2 and is requesting additional resources from Police Chief George Turner.

Shook, who represents District 7,  said the planned move of Cheshire Bridge Road's adult entertainment district to Zone 2 will increase the zone's crime rate and strain resources. Buckhead council members Yolanda Adrean (District 8) and Felicia Moore (District 9) have also expressed concerns about the plan, which increases Zone 2's beats from 10 to 13 and adds three square miles to its territory.

Here's Shook's position, sent in an e-mail to Buckhead Patch.

As has been announced, the Atlanta Police Department is preparing to reallocate its manpower based on calls for service.  Zone 2, which covers north Atlanta and is already the largest zone, is scheduled to gain even more territory. 

Police changing shifts must already endure long drives on traffic-choked roads that leave the edges of the zone unprotected for too long, and crimes requiring multiple cars can leave large areas very thinly covered. 

Unfortunately, the new territory will take in a part of the Cheshire Bridge area and its disproportionate number of crime-generating adult entertainment businesses, which will further stretch our police resources.

Although APD would increase our manpower along with the new territory, I am lobbying for a very modest boost. Given the vast territory that must be covered, I believe we are entitled to a third ‘umbrella car’ that could fill gaps in our coverage as needed, as well as two additional detectives so that the coming increase in crimes (because of the new territory) doesn’t put us farther behind on investigations.  I believe this request is reasonable and warranted.

Howard Shook
District 7 councilman