Atlanta ramps up police presence as World Cup crowds arrive
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Chief Darin Schierbaum (center) speaks at a press conference Wednesday alongside Mayor Andre Dickens (left) and Atlanta Department of Transportation Commissioner Solomon Caviness. Screenshot: Courtesy of Atlanta Police Department/YouTube
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup gears up in Atlanta, law enforcement from around the state will be on hand to help the Atlanta Police Department ensure people's safety.
Why it matters: On top of managing hundreds of thousands of visitors expected for the tournament, Atlanta police will have to maintain the same level of service the agency provides to the city's 245 neighborhoods.
The latest: Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said all 1,800 sworn officers will be working alongside 500 civilian members of the department.
- Some of those officers will be working 12-hour shifts and some have limited days off, the chief said.
- The agency has also deputized 170 additional officers from cities and counties across the state.
- They've been trained on city ordinances and will be dispatched to serve the Downtown area, Schierbaum said.
Zoom in: On game days, the city's Joint Operations Center will be upgraded from a Level 2 to a Level 1 — meaning all relevant agencies will be at the center monitoring what's happening on the ground.
- Officers from as far as Nashville will be joining APD, as will mounted patrol units from Savannah and the Cobb County Police Department.
- "It is going to be everyone on deck, meaning if you have no interest in soccer but you still call 911, you're going to get the response that you need," Schierbaum said. "That's what our half-million residents of the city expect."
- APD is also communicating regularly with the FBI, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and other federal agencies on any potential terroristic threats.
Between the lines: Hundreds of thousands of people coming to Atlanta means a very active nightlife, so the city has introduced an ambassadors program.
- The program will start with 12 members who will fan out across Downtown, South Downtown and the Edgewood corridor between Boulevard and near Krog Street to assist patrons, report any concerns and "create safer environments before situations even escalate," Mayor Andre Dickens said.
- They will work from 5pm to around 5am the following day.
The fine print: Atlanta Department of Transportation Commissioner Solomon Caviness said crews are putting the final touches on sidewalk improvements and re-striping work.
- The agency also encourages any freight deliveries for Downtown businesses to be made between 11pm and 6am.
- "We want to make sure, especially in the Downtown urban core, that we have our streets available to folks who are visiting and folks who are trying to get to and from the city," he said.
The bottom line: Dickens said he hopes people will take advantage of the World Cup's presence in Downtown.
- "I ask employers to allow people to be festive, to enjoy this special moment in the city of Atlanta," he said. "The more people downtown, the more festive, the more safe, the more eyeballs are on the city."