Observers Say APD Changes Change Little

By Odette Yousef

Atlanta, GA – The changes that Mayor Kasim Reed and Acting Police Chief George Turner announced today fell short of what some observers hoped.

WABE's Odette Yousef reports.

Lou Arcangeli, a retired deputy chief from the Atlanta Police Department, wishes the changes had removed at least one layer that was added to the department under former Chief Richard Pennington:

ARCANGELI: I was disappointed to see that they kept the Assistant Chief position.

Arcangeli says he thinks highly of newly-promoted Assistant Chief Peter Andresen and the others who moved up the chain of command. But he says the hierarchy that Pennington installed kept him insulated, and unaccountable to elected officials and the public.

He says the organization was flatter under former chief Eldrin Bell:

ARCANGELI: I'd like to see Atlanta return to that level of service from our Chief of Police. One who's involved with officers, one who's involved with citizens, and one who is very responsive and involved with our city council members.

Acting Chief Turner has said that he intends to be more engaged and visible to the public than was his predecessor.

Odette Yousef, WABE News.