By George Chidi
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
GWINNETT, Ga. — Armed robberies and aggravated assaults have increased in Gwinnett at a rate alarming enough for police to take special measures.
The stats have been clear enough for police commanders to form a new task force to fight the crimes.
Robberies countywide have increased 22 percent this year, said Gwinnett Police Chief Charles Walters. Aggravated assaults are up 18 percent, he said.
It’s a problem in jurisdictions around metro Atlanta, Walters said. And it’s partly the result of growth in Gwinnett, he said.
“This is all part of, unfortunately, the evolution of this community,” Walters said during a news conference Wednesday after meeting with the task force. “We’re trying to stop this before it gets completely out of hand.”
About 40 officers have been drawn from specialized units such as the gang unit and bicycle patrols to staff the new robbery task force, which started work on Wednesday evening. None of the officers come from beat patrol positions.
Walters would not go into detail about tactics of the task force, but he said he plans to keep the force at work for 60 to 90 days to investigate and deter robberies and other crimes.
Part of the problem has been attacks on immigrants close to the weekends, when undocumented workers without bank accounts might be carrying large sums of cash, Walters said.
“Payday hits are a big problem,” he said. “I don’t care who the victims are. You have a right to walk through your apartment complex and feel safe.”
Walters said the immigration status of some victims compounds the problem. Illegal immigrants may be less likely to report a crime for fear of deportation, he said.
“What scares me is what is not being reported,” Walters said. “We’ve got to know who the victims are.
Walters hopes creation of the task force makes a statement to the community about the perception of crime increase, he said.
“You’ve got to overcome that perception, because perception is just as bad as reality,” he said. “We hope that citizens will see us spending our resources this way and feel that they’re in a safe community.”
Copyright 2007 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution