Police beef up patrols for downtown NYE celebrations

ATLANTA,None — Atlanta police stepped up patrols for the hundreds of thousands of people spending New Year's Eve downtown for the Chik-Fil-A bowl game and the New Year's Eve Peach Drop.

The Atlanta Police Department said it doubled patrols for this year's celebration as revelers watch the 800-pound peach at Underground Atlanta to ring in the New Year.

Last year's events ended with a stabbing and a fatal shooting at the Five Points MARTA station.

This year, Atlanta police, Georgia State University and MARTA Police teamed up to protect the nearly 200,000 people celebrating downtown.

A platform was put in place, equipped with sirens, loudspeakers and cameras, all connected to a web of security cameras canvassing downtown.

The cameras help more than 250 officers on the ground, manning 13 checkpoints throughout the area.

"It's going to be a full checkpoint. They will be looking in their bags. We will have recruits and ambassadors on scene," Maj. Lane Hagan of the Atlanta Police Department said.

The Peach Drop party began at 11 a.m. and include a parade, the Chik-Fil-A bowl game and several concerts downtown.

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WSBTV