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The Riverside Neighborhood Association, Inc. Patrol was formed as an arm of the Riverside Neighborhood Association, Inc. in May 2008 in response to an unprecedented crime wave in the northwest Atlanta area. Concerned residents from different neighborhoods throughout northwest Atlanta came together to fund supplemental police patrols to be provided by off-duty Atlanta police officers. Since May 2008, the officers of the Riverside Patrol have logged over 10,000 miles patrolling the Riverside neighborhood. The officers have made and contributed to a number of arrests for property crimes, narcotics violations and auto thefts. The role of the supplementary patrols became even more important when APD mandated 10% furloughs in December 2008, which remain in effect.

The Riverside Patrol is primarily staffed by three Atlanta Police Officers -- Ofcs. Michael Hughes, Eric Schwartz and Jason Smith. However, there is a deep pool of officers that can be counted on to serve the Riverside neighborhood to facilitate flexible scheduling. Every officer has at least 4 years of experience in the City of Atlanta. They come from diverse assignments and backgrounds, and each brings their unique experience to the community patrol. Further, the varying assignments allow a great deal of flexibility in scheduling patrol hours to best meet the needs of Riverside and the ever-changing crime trends.

Patrol FAQ

What is the Patrol?  The Patrol is currently staffed by three different Atlanta Police Officers.  The Officers are familiar with our neighborhood, and they patrol at our request.  For typical patrols, only one Officer will be on duty at a time, but on occasion, we may have multiple Officers on patrol to execute specific directives or for Officer safety.  The Patrol is organized and administered by the Riverside Neighborhood Association.

How will I recognize the Off-Duty Officers?  The Officers are required by the Atlanta Police Department and by the Neighborhood Association to remain in APD uniform while on patrol in Riverside and Vinings on the Chattahoochee.  The Officers will have their APD uniform, bulletproof vest, firearm, badge, police radio and all other requisite gear while on duty.

What are the boundaries of the Patrol?  The Boundaries will shift depending on where our paying Members live.  The Patrol is currently structure to include the following streets and all of their side streets:

The Patrol will also cover Bolton Road between James Jackson Pkwy. and Collins Drive, and it will cover Hollywood Road from Burtz Street to the dead end on Bolton Road.  Unless there is a very serious emergency, such as an officer down or a major disaster, the Officers will not leave the boundaries of the Patrol while working for us.

What times will the Officers be patrolling?  For obvious reasons, we do not want to make the Officers’ schedules available for public consumption.  The Officers will concentrate their patrols around times that we experience our most serious crimes – home invasions and burglaries.  These crimes tend to occur in the middle of the day, when most residents are away from their homes.  Due to the cost of the Patrol and the needs in our neighborhood, we will likely have Patrol officers on duty between 12 and 24 hours per week.  The number of hours patrolled per week will depend on crime patterns and available funding.

Will the Officers be in Atlanta Police cruisers?  No.  The City of Atlanta does not permit officers to use police cruisers for private patrol activities.  Depending on crime trends, the Officers will either be in unmarked vehicles or will affix large, noticeable “Riverside Patrol” magnets to their vehicles.

Should I notice suspicious activity or need to report an emergency, what should I do?  As you should always do, please call 911 immediately.  Paying Members are provided with the direct number for the Patrol phone, which is monitored when we have an Officer on Patrol.  After dialing 911, dial this number to inform our Patrol Officer.

How does contributing to the Patrol benefit me?  In addition to the peace of mind that the Patrol offers, Membership in the Patrol does come with benefits.  First, Members are provided with the direct number to the phone, which is monitored by our Officers when they are patrolling in the neighborhood.  Further, if you are a Member and you leave town and notify us of your departure and return date, Officers will perform site WALKS, not just drive-bys, on your property while you are gone to ensure that nothing is amiss.  Also, Members can make appointments to have an Officer drop by and perform a site audit to better inform Members of actions they can take to better secure their property and deter crime.

How are liabilities and risks handled by the Neighborhood Association?  APD Officers must receive approval from the APD prior to performing any off-duty work. This approval has been granted, which means the City of Atlanta's personal and professional liability insurance covers the officers in the event of a lawsuit, injury, or other act. The only stipulation is that no individual officer may be employed for more than 24 off-duty hours per week.  Based on our anticipated needs, we do not believe that we will exceed this threshold.  As far as the Officer's property, they patrol in their private vehicles.  In the event of an accident or other claim, their personal vehicle and/or umbrella policy insurance will cover associated liabilities.

How do I become a Member?  The preferred method for contacting us is via email.  If you have email access, please email us at karlgoodhew@gmail.com or riversidepatrol@hotmail.com  If you do not have email access, please call Karl at (770) 639-5223.  Please be aware that Karl is only a volunteer, and may not be able to take your calls during work hours.  Quarterly dues are only $90.  Currently, we accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and Checks.