Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington was the keynote speaker at the Asian American Media Lunch and News Conference sponsored by the Atlanta Police Foundation and Georgia Power. 

The luncheon was held in Roswell recently to an audience of more than 50 representatives of the Asian media, and was a unique opportunity for members of the Asian community to discuss how Atlanta City is addressing crime prevention and economic development with key leadership. Top on the list of concerns for the group, were emergency preparedness, civil rights, and increasing recruitment of Asians in law enforcement. 

Georgia Power has been working closely with the Asian-American community and established good partnership throughout the state of Georgia. “With the increasing Asian American population in our state, our partnership helps to make our communities a better place for all residents,” stated Dr. Josephine Tan, Chair of Governor Sonny Perdue’s Asian American Commission for a New Georgia and Georgia Power’s corporate liaison with the Asian American community. 

“Efforts by the Atlanta Police Foundation and Georgia Power have been key to strengthening relationships with our business and community leaders, which helps in supporting the fight against crime,” commented Chief Pennington.

The Atlanta Police Foundation provides essential resources to help the APD’s 1,600 officers perform at their highest level through six focus areas: recruitment, training, scholarship, affordable housing, mounted patrol and crime stoppers program. The Foundation depends on individual and corporate donors to support programs that will help Atlanta be a safe and prosperous city. 

Private/Public sector partnerships such as the Atlanta Police Foundation are essential in this post 9/11 era as we all recognize that safety and security is a shared responsibility. Private sector support provides the necessary programs and initiatives that enable the Atlanta Police Department to focus on the “prevention” of crimes as opposed to merely ‘responding’ to the crimes as well as advanced equipment and technology which provide for a more seamless and effective plan for emergency preparedness,” commented Dave Wilkinson, Atlanta Police Foundation President and CEO.

Since Richard Pennington assumed the role as Chief of the Atlanta Police Department in 2002, the city has seen a tremendous reduction in crime in recent years. In 2004, the reported crime was its lowest since 1971. Moreover, within the past two years, there has been a decrease in each of the seven major crime categories. 

During the Q& A session, the President of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce (AACC), Ga., Subash Razdan asked, "How the Atlanta Police balanced their act between providing security against potential acts of terrorism for its citizens and, yet, not be accused of racial profiling and high handedness?". Razdan also asked, "How safe Atlanta was considering Center for Disease Control, CDC could be a potential target?" Chief Pennington assured that, "Adequate police preparedness already exists along with ongoing vigil to encounter potential terrorist threats. Yet, the Police Department and the Homeland Security are undergoing constant sensitivity training for respecting diversity and multi-culturalism in Metro Atlanta.