The Atlanta Police Department did not assist or cooperate with the study, so we are not aware of the methodology or data used to reach the conclusion.

·     The APD’s crime analysis unit will be conducting its own examination of the report in order to assess its accuracy and veracity.

·     The report was not conducted by someone performing scholarly research, or sanctioned by an academic institution or think-tank. It was conducted by the CEO of a business called Neighborhood Scout, a for-profit entity that sells real estate information.

·     Our Tactical Crime Analysis Unit is attempting to make contact with the author of the report, in order to understand in detail what statistics and methodology he used in assessing “most dangerous neighborhoods.” As of yet, the unit has not been able to get the information requested of the author, in spite of numerous attempts.

An initial review of the report by our Crime Analysis Unit points to several potential flaws in the methodology used in the report that could skew the numbers:

·         An undercounting of the population in census tracts analyzed

·         Inclusion in the analysis of major venues that host hundreds of thousands (if not millions) of conventioneers, tourists, workers, travelers and spectators, such as Turner Field, MARTA stations, the Georgia Dome and World Congress Center

·         Use of “predicted” crimes based on past trends

·         Analysis of census tracts that are not considered “neighborhoods” by APD. Many of these “neighborhoods” include daytime populations such as the ones described above

Public safety is the APD’s number one priority. Crime-mapping is a valuable tool for law enforcement. We use electronic crime-mapping on a daily basis, pinpointing where crime occurs. This data is vital to shifting resources and deploying the appropriate crime-fighting strategies. Every week, the APD’s top commanders gather to review the most recent crime data and ensure that we are responding appropriately to any “hot spots” or negative trends.

We will not dispute that there are neighborhoods in Atlanta that experience more crime than others, for a variety of factors. The department works closely with the community, non-profits and other government agencies to ensure proper resources are deployed to address such issues. We take fighting crime seriously, and do not believe it can be reduced to catchy headlines about “dangerous neighborhoods” with potentially flawed methodology. It’s a disservice to the community we work hard to serve.