ATLANTA — The search is on for a new Atlanta Police chief. APD Chief Rodney Bryant announced his retirement Friday.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said he will conduct a national search for a new chief but indicated he will lean in to applicants who already know and love Atlanta.
Rodney Bryant is the latest in a long history of hometown chiefs who came up through APD. He will leave the chief’s office in June. Bryant’s retirement starts after a 100-day trial run promised when Dickens began his term in January. Yet, crime remains a troubling issue for Atlanta residents. Homicides and rapes have risen since then.
"The chief and I came to this decision together. The timing lined up just right," Dickens told reporters Friday.
Dickens said the search for a new chief will span the country. But, he’s hoping Bryant’s replacement is already familiar with Atlanta.
"I'm looking for a chief that knows Atlanta, that loves Atlanta, that understands the police force that’s here but is also looking for any new innovative solutions to get ahead of this crime, and to get out there and do this 21st century (community) policing that we want to do," Dickens said.
Bryant was named interim chief in 2020 by then-mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms after APD struggled to curb protest violence and questionable police conduct.
"The way he came in I think he did an admirable job," said Dorthey Hurst, who is on the Atlanta Police citizens review board. She thinks finding applicants won’t be a problem.
"There’s a lot of people now who’ve got their hands up. So (Dickens will) just have to figure out who’s going to be the best fit," Hurst said.
Hurst said their quality chief candidate's working in APD now – and among other Georgia departments who previously served with Atlanta PD.
Dickens said it’s likely an interim chief will be named in the next few weeks.