The Historic Brookhaven Neighborhood Association considers the safety of our neighborhood to be very important. Although we are not law enforcement and can in no way provide for the safety of our homeowners, we work diligently to provide assistance where possible to the proper authorities. One such way is in providing the financial means to have surveillance cameras and license plate readers installed within our community (read below). Additionally we have provided you with information about calling 911 in a neighborhood divided between two counties and cities and about requesting vacation checks. Independently of HBNA, there is another organization (Brookhaven Security Association) who collects funds to pay for additional patrols by off-duty police officers.
neighborhood Cameras and License Plate Readers
Since the launch of upgraded surveillance cameras on January 2021, all Historic Brookhaven neighbors have benefitted from increased home protection.
This upgraded system has two cameras at all 14 entrances into Historic Brookhaven (one facing inbound traffic and one facing outbound). Each camera can read license plates including the state on traditional reflective license plates as well as temporary paper ones from a car dealer. They can also identify a vehicle’s make, model, and color. Police in their patrol cars are alerted in real time about any vehicle connected to a criminal situation (e.g. stolen car, stolen license, wanted person, missing person). The cameras’ database is connected not just to local police but also the FBI’s National Crime Information Center.
According to police, these cameras have substantial helped fight crime in Historic Brookhaven, both in prevention and investigation, since the vast majority of crimes involve a getaway vehicle. Most criminals now avoid Brookhaven because they know their vehicles can be detected in real time.
HBNA annual dues pay for the lease of these cameras, not Brookhaven Security Association (BSA) which is a separate organization (more on BSA in the next link). Roughly half of HBNA’s dues pay for the cameras each year.
Brookhaven Security Association
The Brookhaven Security Association (BSA) is a separate organization from HBNA. Their mission is to enhance security in the neighborhood by hiring off-duty police officers to make additional patrols to the neighborhood outside of standard patrols from City of Atlanta and City of Brookhaven Police Departments. These patrols are handled in both officially marked police vehicles and personal vehicles for the off-duty officers but are marked with BSA decals. Annual dues are only $425/year. In addition to hiring off duty police officers to patrol the neighborhood, these officers will check your home when you are on vacation, escort solicitors out of the neighborhood, as well as investigate suspicious people, respond to house alarms, and can be a first responder in an emergency. Contact: Stephanie McGarity by email or phone at (404) 805-4550; [email protected]
Not receiving the Brookhaven Security Crime Alerts? Send an email to the BSA with your name, address, and all email addresses wanting to receive the alerts.
Vacation Checks
The City of Brookhaven Police Department will provide vacation checks to your property when you are out of town. You may request these checks free of charge by clicking here.
Guide to calling 911
Our neighborhood is unique as it is split between two cities and counties that have their own 911 centers, police and fire departments. These emergency responders only cover their specific jurisdictions. City of Atlanta will not (and can not) respond to City of Brookhaven emergencies. It is the same for City of Brookhaven.
Most of us no longer have landlines and now use cell phones exclusively. It is important to understand if you have an emergency the cell phone tower that connects your call may or may not be in the immediate area and may or may not be in the correct jurisdiction for your emergency. You could be calling from your home in City of Atlanta but the cell phone call may connect to a cell tower in the City of Brookhaven.
You may be calling 911 under duress, but it is still important to listen to which operator answers your 911 call. If you are connected with City of Brookhaven, the 911 operator will answer with: “Chatcomm, Operator #_____ what is your emergency?” If you are connected with City of Atlanta, the 911 operator will answer with: “City of Atlanta, operator #_____ what is your emergency?” If you get the wrong jurisdiction, simply tell the operator you need to be transferred. They will stay on the line with you until another 911 system answers. This will usually take 1-2 minutes.
It will seem like an eternity if you are in the middle of an emergency, but do not hang up. If you hang up, the 911 center must call you back to verify your call which ties up that 911 operator from answering other incoming calls. If you still have a landline and call from that landline, you will always be connected to the correct 911 center in which you live.
City of Atlanta - One way to avoid the confusion if you need to reach the City of Atlanta 911 center and are using a cell phone use this landline number that will connect you directly to City of Atlanta 911. Program this number into your phone. This is to reach City of Atlanta 911. The number is 404-658-6666.
Other details - Sign up for Smart911.org. Program your vital information and emergency contacts for when you call 911, and it will auto populate for the 911 operator. You can sign up to receive texts or emails from City of Brookhaven for Emergency Management and other pertinent information affecting your immediate area.
