New Atlanta Police Department Precinct Set for One Buckhead Plaza

Cousins Properties donating space, Buckhead Coalition and CID contributing $150K to buildout for APD Zone 2 Precinct in West Village

ATLANTA – January 13, 2022 – Today Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Atlanta Police Department (APD) Chief Rodney Bryant, and others announced plans for a new Zone 2 precinct in One Buckhead Plaza, Cousins Properties’ office tower at the intersection of Peachtree Road and West Paces Ferry.

“Public Safety is a top priority for this administration,” said Mayor Andre Dickens. “It is important that everyone in our city feels a sense of security as our police continue to combat crime wherever it exists. Thank you to Cousins Properties, the Buckhead CID and the Buckhead Coalition for their partnership in making this new precinct possible and expanding APD’s presence in the West Village.”

“We developed a Strategy to address crime in our city and in the Buckhead space,” said APD Chief Rodney Bryant. “We recognized that there was a need for a precinct, based on the growth and the activity in Buckhead. Our studies show that Zone 2 officers were primarily responding to traffic incidents; therefore, we saw fit to free up more officers to patrol the area.  At least 12 officers will be assigned to the new Zone 2 West Village precinct.”

The creation of the West Village precinct is a collaboration among APD, Buckhead Coalition, Buckhead Community Improvement District (BCID) and Cousins Properties. APD has signed a lease with Cousins for a nominal fee. Buckhead Coalition and BCID are contributing $150,000 for buildout of space, located below King + Duke restaurant on West Paces Ferry. APD will equip and operate the precinct, which by summer 2022 will have at least 12 officers. They will augment the efforts of the beat officers, enabling both groups to operate more efficiently as crime fighters. The goal is to staff the precinct with 24 officers depending on the overall growth of the APD.

“Adding a new precinct on the west side of Buckhead will be a tremendous asset in Zone 2,” said Major Andrew Senzer, APD Zone 2 Commander. “A high percentage of our calls are related to traffic incidents. Having a group of officers dedicated to that work will make it more efficient and will ensure we have ample resources to devote to other important law enforcement matters.”

The West Village precinct is the latest example of the Buckhead business community partnering with APD to address local crime. Since late 2020, public and private-sector partners have implemented the Buckhead Security Plan to deter crime, enhance law enforcement, and push for key policy and procedural changes.

“A tremendous amount of work to enhance safety has been done over the past year and we are beginning to see a return on that investment,” said Jim Durrett, president and CEO of Buckhead Coalition and executive director of BCID. “There’s still a long way to go, but it’s clear that city leaders have heard Buckhead’s concerns and are working to address them.”

“We are encouraged that the Mayor is taking immediate action to address public safety in Buckhead and across Atlanta,” said Colin Connolly, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cousins Properties. “We are pleased to partner with the City so we can help achieve the Mayor’s goal of a united Atlanta.”

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About the City of Atlanta Police Department

Our mission is to create a safer Atlanta by reducing crime, ensuring the safety of our citizens and building trust in partnership with our communities.

A full-service police agency, the Department has adopted a community-oriented philosophy and relies heavily upon community input and collaborative problem-solving strategies. It is through heightened community involvement in public safety matters that the Atlanta Police Department will most effectively address its many priorities, including, but not limited to youth-related crime, domestic violence and the perception of crime in Atlanta. With an authorized strength of more than 2,000 sworn officers, the Atlanta Police Department is the largest law enforcement agency in the State of Georgia, and a dedicated, high-profile force for positive change in our communities.

 

About Buckhead Coalition

The Buckhead Coalition is a nonprofit civic association with a mission to advocate on behalf of the Buckhead community within the city of Atlanta and metropolitan region; to support the well-being of Buckhead’s residents, businesses and visitors; to convene public and private sector leaders and partner organizations; and to connect Buckhead to other areas of the city and region. For more information, visit www.thebuckheadcoalition.com.

 

About Buckhead CID

The objective of the Buckhead Community Improvement District (BCID), working with the City of Atlanta and its community partners, is to meet the challenges resulting from Buckhead’s rapid, primarily automobile-based growth, including improving safety, traffic mobility, enhancing the pedestrian environment, creating better access to public transit, initiating intra-district transportation alternatives, encouraging better integration of land uses and improving linkages to the region’s automobile, transit and bicycle networks.

 

About Cousins Properties

Cousins Properties is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company, based in Atlanta, GA and acting through its operating partnership, Cousins Properties LP, primarily invests in Class A office buildings located in high-growth Sun Belt markets. Founded in 1958, Cousins creates shareholder value through its extensive expertise in the development, acquisition, leasing and management of high-quality real estate assets. The Company has a comprehensive strategy in place based on a simple platform, trophy assets and opportunistic investments. For more information, please visit www.cousins.com.