ATLANTA — A breezy Monday afternoon means another walk in the park for Corell Williams. He moved to Atlanta in the last year and has made Anderson Park a routine stop for him during the week.
"It's just a place of peace for me," Williams said. "Sometimes, I'll go for runs on the trail around here, and it’s good to see family and children around because if they’re comfortable, then I’m comfortable.”
But Williams has also heard gunshots by the park. He called it reckless behavior and something he had gotten used to over time. In the summer of 2021, Jakari Dillard was shot and killed at the Anderson Park pool. He was 17 years old. Police arrested a 19-year-old suspect in the case.
On Monday, the Atlanta City Council passed legislation sponsored by Michael J. Bond. The move adds $1.5 million to the City's Park Improvement Fund, which will go toward adding POST-certified officers and stepping up security around Atlanta's parks and pools to help prevent crime in the area.
"Adding these additional personnel into the parks will provide more eyes on the ground," Bond said. "We're going to also send a message to those who want to prey upon people, take negative advantage of people that we're not going to allow you to that in Atlanta. We're going to have a presence there, and we're going to make sure everyone has a safe environment."
Bond said the city had placed hundreds of cameras around its 20 most-used parks, and several of the previously existing cameras had been upgraded recently.
Nearly three years ago, Katie Janness and her dog lost their lives in a violent stabbing at Piedmont Park. Police have yet to make an arrest in the case. Bond hopes more police presence can combat crime in some of the most popular spots in the city.
"We’re coming up on spring, summertime will be here in just a couple months," Bond said. "We’re going to hit peak season, and so we want to be prepared for that.”
Williams backs the push for more officers to patrol parks and pools as long as the pressure doesn't fall solely on those called to protect and serve.
"If the officers are local, I don't see him causing issues where he lives," Williams said. "It's on everybody. It's not just on them. Those people aren't superheroes. They're not omnipresent or omniscient. Watch yourself, and it'll be nice to have local law enforcement have an extra eye on you."