With a proposed $16.5 million budget increase, the Atlanta Police Department is on track to receive its largest general fund budget.
State and local spending on police has been on the rise for decades across the country, and Atlanta is no different. Under the plan, the department would receive $324.4 million, up 5.37% from the current fiscal year’s record amount.
Earlier this month, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and Chief Financial Officer Mohamed Balla proposed a nearly $3.2 billion budget for fiscal 2027. The budget, which would be the city’s largest ever, includes $994.6 million for the general fund.
Throughout this month, each government department will present a proposal to the Atlanta City Council for how much money it will spend in the upcoming year.
Public safety departments were some of the first to go in front of the council this month with their proposed budgets. Like APD, the Atlanta Citizens Review Board, the civilian body charged with investigating citizen complaints and misconduct allegations against Atlanta police, will also see an increase in funding this year.
The review board was founded in 2007 after police killed 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston in her home while executing an illegal “no-knock” warrant. The board entered its current form when it was granted subpoena power by the City Council in 2010.
In January 2025, the board came under significant scrutiny after an Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation revealed that the review board had failed to investigate or hold public hearings on 39 police-custody death cases awaiting review since 2020. In July, after an inquiry by the City Council, Atlanta police agreed to report all uses of deadly force to the board.
Samuel Reid, ACRB’s executive director, did not address the controversy or the AJC investigation directly but did note that staff were working on ways to streamline their work process.
“One of the challenges that we see would be related to officer-involved shooting investigations. Those are going to require a lot more time as they come forward,” he told the council May 6.
In March, the review board concluded its first investigation into an officer-involved shooting. On May 18, 2022, two Atlanta police officers opened fire in a crowded Buckhead restaurant, killing 22-year-old Nygil Cullins. His family filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the city two years later.
The board found that the officers’ use of force was justified under the department’s policy and cleared both officers of any wrongdoing.
This budget cycle, the review board will receive a small $131,028 increase, bringing its total general fund budget to $2.2 million.
The proposed increase in police funding comes as some city departments — such as finance, parks and recreation, transportation, and city planning — will be expected to manage budget cuts. The additional police spending will account for 85% of the general fund’s total $19.2 million increase.
In March, Atlanta police reported 48% fewer homicides and 35% percent fewer robberies and burglaries when compared to this time last year. By comparison, violent crime had increased in 2025 compared to the previous year but remained below 2023’s level.
Data from the Atlanta Regional Commission shows a steep decline in violent crime in the city since 2009. Although APD’s budget did regularly increase during that time, a national study by The Washington Post found no correlation between police spending and crime rates.
Despite receiving annual increases the past three years, APD’s spending has far exceeded its budget. The department was over budget by $17.3 million in 2023, $36 million in 2024, and $64.3 million in 2025. The current 2026 fiscal year will end on June 30.
The bulk of spending in the police department — and in most city departments — goes toward personnel: meaning salaries, benefits, and, in APD’s case, pensions.
During his budget presentation to the City Council, Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the department also opened a second wellness center for officers at the controversial police training center in DeKalb County. Over the past three years, APD has also begun replacing its fleet of patrol cars, more than 70% of which were “past their life cycle,” Schierbaum said.
“Since 2023, we have purchased 707 new vehicles for the department.” he said. “They’re black, they’re red, white and blue, and they were designed by [the Savannah College of Art and Design].”
How the budget proposals break down
APD’s three largest budget increases:
- Personnel: This $13 million increase will cover salaries of sworn and civilian employees, pension payments for retired employees and group health insurance costs.
- Purchased and contracted services: The additional $2.8 million will pay for technology such as body cameras, radios, and surveillance cameras, and accompanying software. APD has a 10-year contract with Axon for body-worn cameras and is currently contracted with Flock Safety for automated license plate readers that capture thousands of cars as they drive through the city each day.
- Interdepartmental charges: Just over $500,000 in additional spending would go to maintenance and fuel costs for the department’s equipment and vehicles.
ACRB’s budget increases:
- Personnel: More than 90% of the review board’s budget increase, or $123,908, will go toward benefits for salaried employees — primarily pension contributions and group health insurance costs.
- The remaining $7,120 will pay for maintenance and fueling for the city vehicles used by the board’s employees during an investigation.
What’s next
The City Council will host three hearings for the public to ask questions and make suggestions to city officials about the 2027 budget.
Public hearings on the tax millage rate:
- Wednesday, May 20, from 6 to 6:15 p.m.
- Wednesday, May 27, from noon to 12:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, May 27, from 6 to 7 p.m.
In addition, an interactive community budget session will be held Wednesday, May 20, from 6:15 to 7 p.m.
All hearings will be held in Atlanta City Hall at 55 Trinity Ave. SW. The hearings will also be livestreamed on Atlanta City Council’s YouTube, Facebook, and X (formerly Twitter) pages. The chat box will also be open for questions from residents who can’t attend in person.
Read More:
