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Formation of the APD
The Atlanta Police Department officially formed in 1873 with a total of 26 officers. That same year, the first board of police commissioners chose Thomas Jones to be the first chief of police. -
Juvenile Court/Juvenile Detention Facility Established
In 1904, the APD created a separate court and detention facility for children. They would no longer undergo the same trial process, face the same punishments and go to the same facilities as the adults of the city. The start of children being treated differently in Atlanta. [https://youtu.be/c8t9idLFWms] -
Bureau of Identification Established
In 1918, the Bureau of Identification was established in Atlanta to improve the criminal justice system and work done by police officers. The Bureau collects information regarding criminal history and stores it for the safety of all people. [https://gbi.georgia.gov/about-us] -
Start of Radio Stations for APD
In 1931, the APD began the use of radio stations to communicate. Police officers at the time could hear the information, but they could not directly respond. There were designated police telephone boxes for answering calls.
The website link addresses St. Louis officers, but Atlanta officers had a similar system. [https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/look-back-at-the-early-days-of-police-dept-radios/collection_d98536a9-f3a1-5796-a3b4-adf6401c5f08.html] -
Herbert T. Jenkins Becomes New Chief of Police
In 1947, Herbert T. Jenkins was elected as the chief of police. He brought major changes to the city of Atlanta and the police department. He hired the first eight black officers and worked with civil rights activists. Jenkins also opened the first police academy with formal training in Georgia. [https://youtu.be/-7zdy028Dys] -
First Black Female Officer is Hired
In 1971, Linnie Hallmon made history by becoming the first black female police officer. Prior to Hallmon, this was a title that was only given to males. She worked hard and helped the city. [https://tri-statedefender.com/saluting-atlantas-first-female-african-american-officer-now-a-memphian/02/25/] -
Red Dog Unit Established
In June of 1989, the Red Dog unit was established in the APD. The purpose of this unit was to use stricter tactics than other officers and ensure that criminals were not getting away with anything. Due to issues, the police group disbanded in 2011. [https://www.police1.com/patrol-issues/articles/police-red-dog-unit-disbanded-in-atlanta-BXc37qkB2m3Ovwqz/] -
Police Officers Given Body Camera
In 2016, Atlanta police officers were given body worn cameras. The purpose of the cameras is to have footage that shows exactly what happens during the interactions that police officers have with others. The goal was for the APD to become more efficient. [https://www.georgiapolicy.org/issue/atlanta-police-force-track-get-body-cameras/]