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City of Atlanta Police Department log books

 Collection
Collection number: ahc.MSS1235

Scope and Contents

This collection contains two homicide log books, an Atlanta Police Training School diploma, and an issue of The Atlanta Journal and Constitution Magazine. The first homicide log book consists of summaries of homicide cases along with a list of the witnesses and officers assigned to each case, letters, reward posters, newspaper articles, and photographs of suspects. Each page has an update written years after a case was filed, most list if the offender was executed or died, if the case status changed, and any additional suspects. The second log book contains short summaries of arrests, trials, and sentencing. The The Atlanta Journal and Constitution Magazine article is about Liutenant James E. Helms, a former homicide squad employee at the Atlanta Police Department.

Dates

  • 1924-1968

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. All requests to publish, quote, or reproduce must be submitted through the Kenan Research Center.

Biographical / Historical

In 1844 Marthasville established what would become the Atlanta Police Department (APD) with the election of it's first marshall. When Marthasville was renamed Atlanta in 1846, the city elected additional policemen, and by 1853 there were 20 officers. In 1918 the APD was completely motorized and the city appointed the first two women officers. In 1948 the city appointed the first two African American officers. Atlanta was one of the first cities to establish a Homeland Security Unit in 2003. The Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement agencies accredited APD in 2005, and the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police provided state certification in 2013. As of 2022, the department includes over 2,000 police officers that serve over a 137 square mile jurisdiction. The Atlanta Police Historical Society was established in 2015.

Extent

2.34 linear ft. (two oversize boxes and one oversize folder)

Language

English

Arrangement

This collection is arranged alphabetically by titles supplied by staff.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift, 2011

Content Advisory

This collection contains original unedited versions of all content. Some material may contain depictions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There may be instances of racist language and depictions, particularly regarding African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record for the purpose of education and research. The viewpoints expressed in this collection do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers.

Bias in Description

As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information. We choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, and bias is reflected in our descriptions, which may not accurately convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materials. Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment. In working with this collection, we often re-use language used by the former owners of the material. This language provides context but often includes bias and prejudices reflective of the time in which it was created. The Kenan Research Center’s work is ongoing to implement reparative language where Library of Congress subject terms are inaccurate and obsolete. 

Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or descriptions, please let us know by emailing reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.

Processing Information

This collection was processed in 2022.

Title
City of Atlanta Police Department log books
Author
Maddy Long
Date
2022
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository

Contact:
130 West Paces Ferry Road
Atlanta GA 30305
404-814-4040