Atlanta Police Will No Longer Respond To Some Shoplifting Calls

Fox 5 ^ | 03/20/18 | Morse Diggs

[Enlightened1]

The Atlanta Chief of Police said her officers will no longer respond to shoplifting calls at stores in Buckhead.

Erika Shields said staff shortages, in excess of 300 officers, has forced her to reevaluate how to deploy officers. In the affluent section north of downtown, Shields said, the APD Zone Two officers frequently get calls from merchants to do a report on a shoplifter who has been caught by store security. After filling out the paperwork, the officer then must arrange a transport to the Atlanta City Jail in downtown.

All that can take up to an hour and a half to complete. The chief believes that time can be better spent by having those officers handle serious crimes, from burglaries to carjackings.

Shields said if a shoplifting takes place, the larceny can still be reported and will be counted in the APD stats. The chief puts the onus on the merchant to file the incident and, if necessary, spend the funds to hire an off-duty Atlanta or metro officer who can make the sure the culprit is made to pay for his crime.

A Buckhead resident and community leader, Roslyn Smith, is "disappointed" the city is in the position where staff shortages is leaving the chief with such a choice.

"Personally, I am not going to feel comfortable going to shop," Smith said.

As for filling the gap in manpower, Chief Shields said, a pay study is being prepared that she will present to Mayor Keisha Bottoms in the hopes of making her officers among the highest salaried law enforcement in the area.

[Enlightened1]

The Atlanta Chief of Police said her officers will no longer respond to shoplifting calls at stores in Buckhead.

[MPJackal]

That is the dumbest thing ever. Let’s tell the bad guys that you won’t respond. That should work out well. Even if true that you are under staffed, you don’t broadcast it. Freaking idiot.

[mplc51]

Nice Announcement , Now the crooks know where to go.

[UCANSEE2]

The Atlanta Chief of Police said her officers will no longer respond to shoplifting calls at stores in Buckhead.

That's one way to lower crime statistics. Don't arrest anyone. Just like Obama had the Florida Schools do. Worked out well for the 17 dead kids, didn't it ?

[Red Badger]

I have a sneaking suspicion that shoplifting will increase rapidly there.............

[UCANSEE2]

They need to post signs in the windows of those shops in the affluent district. POLICE FREE ZONE.

[freedumb2003]

Better call the backups Smith & Wesson.

[GreenHornet]

In order to avoid offending the individuals involved in this activity, the crime of shoplifting will now be known as an “undocumented purchase.”

[ZOOKER]

Sounds like the start of a Charles Bronson movie. Or maybe "Goodfellas"?

Who will step in and "protect" these merchants?

[Feckless]

As a shop owner I would no longer pay taxes...

[fr_freak]

Nice Announcement , Now the crooks know where to go.

There seem to be two distinct possibilities here:

1) She really is as dumb as we all think she and is another affirmative-action disaster taking its natural course,

2) This is a ploy to get more money

[eyeamok]

All that can take up to an hour and a half to complete. The chief believes that time can be better spent by having those officers handle serious crimes, from burglaries to carjackings.

Translation:
Arresting Shoplifters is very costly, they have NO money to pay any fines. I can send 1 officer out and in 1 1/2 hours he can write 4 Speeding Tickets and bring in over $2500 to my City, why in hell would I waste precious resources on a bunch of thugs with No Visible Means of PAYING???

[Enterprise]

Ok, so the police won’t respond now to calls of shoplifting. Maybe they can also not respond to “minor injuries” to people who get caught shoplifting.

[Mr. Lucky]

OK, that was clever.

[gubamyster]

This & Gun Free Zone signs, should make shopping real fun in Atlanta.

[Iron Munro]

[moovova]

Cheating in Atlanta is still OK!

[SkyDancer]

My grandad used to tell me that cops would arrest guys for stealing hubcaps off cars.

[hanamizu]

One possibility doesn’t exclude the other.

[Mears]

“Mayor Keisha Bottoms “

---

The jokes just write themselves. Poor Atlanta.

.