“Over the past two years the city of Atlanta has experienced a 17 percent reduction in crime and we are on track for even greater decreases moving forward,” “The Policeman’s Ball provides an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the Atlanta Police Department as well as show our support for these brave men and women who stand in harm’s way so that we don’t have to.” said Dave Wilkinson, President and CEO of the Atlanta Police Foundation

Community leaders Wanda McGaha and Wendy Babchin are the event Chairs, along with Honorary Chair Mayor Shirley Franklin.  Dedicated business owners such as Niko Karatassos, Sam Massell, Jim Jacoby, Gordon Schmidt, Sharon Silva, Autumn Murray and a host others are serving on the event’s committees to ensure the APD raises the funds they so desperately need.

The public is welcome to attend the VIP Party which will take place on Friday, February 17, 2006 in the ballroom of Atlantic Station’s hottest new hotel, Twelve.  Mayor Shirley Franklin will cut the ribbon for Atlantic Station’s new police precinct in front of an audience of community and political leaders and local Atlanta business owners.  Bold American Catering will provide the food and décor for the event. Guests are asked to make a $20 donation.

The Target Corporation is the first to sign-on as Chief Sponsor for $25,000, Georgia Power, Jacoby Development and The Buckhead Coalition are Major Sponsors at the $10,000 level, and several table sponsorships have been sold.  Along with all sponsorship levels, Patron tickets are $300 each and include an invitation to the exclusive patron party to be held on March 18, 2006 at 103 West.  Individual tickets are $150 each.

The Atlanta Police Foundation raises funds to support the following:  a high quality recruitment program to recruit the best and the brightest officers to the APD, a training program to ensure that the officers and command staff of the APD have the most advanced training possible to fight crime in our city, a scholarship program to encourage officers to finish their degrees and seek higher levels of education, an affordable housing program so more officers can live inside the city limits of Atlanta, a Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line that allows citizens to safely report crime tips, and the much awaited return of the Mounted Horse Patrol.

For more information please contact the Atlanta Police Foundation at
404-586-0180 or www.atlantapolicefoundation.org.

###

The Atlanta Police Foundation was created by a diverse group of business and community leaders in 2003 to secure resources and be an advocate for the Atlanta Police Department and its employees and to serve as a voice of the community on public safety issues.  The Foundation is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization governed by a diverse 27 member Board of Trustees, representing business, law, education, not-for-profit organizations and the community.  Their sole purpose is to drive crime down in the City of Atlanta.  They are the only authorized independent organization securing non-tax resources for the APD.