Crime & Safety

Rader: Police Precinct Change May Have Local Benefits

The county police department's North Precinct move to Clairmont Road could improve local response times and police presence.

When the DeKalb County Police Department's North Precinct in Dunwoody moves near DeKalb Peachtree Airport, local residents could see improved response times and a larger police presence in the area, county Commissioner Jeff Rader said.

Nearly $3 million from a $36-million package of federal stimulus bonds will go toward moving the department's North Precinct in Dunwoody to a five-acre parcel on Clairmont Road just north of Dresden Drive, according to Burke Brennan, county spokesman.

The move was necessitated after Dunwoody incorporated and launched its own police force nearly two years ago, so the county needed to re-centralize its north county precinct. The city of Dunwoody also is reportedly looking to take over the county's North Precinct site after they leave. The timetable for the move is unclear.

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"It's a logistical issue, basically," Rader said. "Where is the best place to deploy from?"

But a precinct nearly adjacent to DeKalb Peachtree Airport in Chamblee could benefit the North Druid Hills-Briarcliff area, he said. As squad cars head out to their posts, more of them will naturally travel through local communities. Response times from the new precinct may also be improved, he said.

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"(The land) has good access in several places to cross I-85, which is critical because I-85 … is an insurmountable barrier," Rader said.

The county holds the land parcel in trust for the Federal Aviation Administration, Rader said. The land had been ignored for some time because, among other reasons, it's hilly, making it difficult for the airport to use.

"It's not the type of place you could just clear off and put hangers on," he said.

Police department officials declined to comment on the move Dec. 2, saying it was premature since the particulars have not been worked out, said Mekka Parish, police spokeswoman.

The county's redevelopment agency signed off on the bond issuance Tuesday. Most of the bond package – about $28 million – will be used for improvements to the county's water and sewer system. The county will use the rest to expand Recorders Court and create a new county family protection center.


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