5 Armed Robberies at Georgia State University in 3 1/2 months (Atlanta, Marietta: dorms, movie theater)

[society619]

Originally Posted by kirkwoodhipster

Where is Atlanta Police Department? GSU can't handle the whole area by itself. The APD needs to step it up! This is unacceptable. That area should be crawling with police. Up at UGA, you can't go 5 minutes without seeing a UGA or Athens police car. Perhaps more bike police would be a good solution. And could the idea of arming the Ambassadors be explored?

UGA also isn't located in one of the worst parts of the city

[mike7586]

I don't find Downtown Atlanta "scary" or "the worst part of the city" like so many do here. If I'm there I avoid Five Points (I always get out at Peachtree Center instead) and Underground. The situation isn't helped because I don't think people here have street smarts at all.

APD needs to increase police presence downtown (they have the money - they've already hired 250 officers with plans to hire 700 and the city has at least $50 million in reserves) either on bike or on horse or just standing on the street corners. GSU needs to increase their security and people need to be more aware of their surroundings. Finally, the city needs to do something with Five Points and Underground. It just attracts the wrong people.

[JPD]

The students definitely need to get some street smarts and not only get off their phones, but act as if they do not have a phone in their posession when walking down the street. Just plain stupid. This kind of behavior invites crime. This is like the people who buy a new HDTV on Saturday, put the box out on the curb and then wonder why their house was broken into on Monday while they were at work.

Smartphone users targeted by street robbers *| ajc.com

[FlyiMetro]

Originally Posted by brettk

Maybe the law abiding students should be allowed to carry their own weapons, rather than the current policies which only allows the criminals.

Whats stopping them from doing that now?

[kirkwoodhipster]

Originally Posted by arjay57

Where's the city supposed to get money for more police officers? We're spending 25% of our (shrinking) tax revenues on employees who have already retired.

Well, here's one idea: let Underground go out of business. The city has spent an average of $7 million a year subsidizing it since 2001, but that number has probably increased since the article was written in 2007 (before Coke moved). I don't know how many police officers that translates into, but however many it is, they should all be hired and all placed on bikes around GSU.

World of Coca-Cola set to move, Underground Atlanta could suffer | AccessNorthGa

[kirkwoodhipster]

Originally Posted by society619

UGA also isn't located in one of the worst parts of the city

That wasnt really my point. Bad area or not, you cant go five minutes (at most) without seeing police. The whole area is swarming. The same cant be said for GSU.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by kirkwoodhipster

Well, here's one idea: let Underground go out of business. The city has spent an average of $7 million a year subsidizing it since 2001, but that number has probably increased since the article was written in 2007 (before Coke moved). I don't know how many police officers that translates into, but however many it is, they should all be hired and all placed on bikes around GSU.

That makes sense. If Underground hasn't been cutting it for 10 years, it's time to move on.

[MathmanMathman]

The previous GSU president Patton was adamant about taking down the barriers and opening access points to have GSU become part of the city. That includes plans to take its Plaza down to street level.

Well, like Atlantic Station, once again the City Planners' Utopian dreams meet the harsh realities of the real world. A while ago, it was Georgia Tech with the crime wave. GSU probably could use more foot patrols to make their presence known. They also need safe routes to the 3 MARTA stations that service the campus. GSU might have to take the Columbia University approach and become a closed campus. Not only are students the targets of crime, the criminals also roam the campus stealing whatever they can even breaking and entering if necessary.

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by arjay57

That makes sense. If Underground hasn't been cutting it for 10 years, it's time to move on.

You can't just leave it hanging, it'll look like Detroit before long. And I think a casino will just make things worse. Any assurances of increased security will probably just cover the casino while the surrounding areas, including GSU, suffer. I'd like to see GSU develop it like Tech has created its Technology Square but it might be harder for GSU to make it "GSU" like Tech has made that Midtown area "Tech".

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

You can't just leave it hanging, it'll look like Detroit before long. And I think a casino will just make things worse. Any assurances of increased security will probably just cover the casino while the surrounding areas, including GSU, suffer. I'd like to see GSU develop it like Tech has created its Technology Square but it might be harder for GSU to make it "GSU" like Tech has made that Midtown area "Tech".

Perhaps we could seal the entrances and bring everything back up to street level like it was in the old days. Plaza Park used to be a pleasant and bustling urban park. There's no reason it can't be that way again.