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Going out of town for the holidays? Tell the police

Avondale Estates Decatur Kirkwood and East Lake Metro ATL

Going out of town for the holidays? Tell the police

The holiday wreaths lighting up Ponce de Leon in Decatur, Ga. Photo by Dan Whisenhunt
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The holiday wreaths lighting up Ponce de Leon in Decatur, Ga. Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

The holiday wreaths lighting up Ponce de Leon in Decatur, Ga. Photo by Dan Whisenhunt

People planning to leave their homes during the holiday season can ask local police departments to drop by their homes while they’re away.

All of the police departments in our area do out-of-town house checks year round.

“We’ve done this for years and it does not have to be a holiday,” Atlanta Police Officer Kim Jones said. “Most times people just call or come by the precinct and advise us that they are going out of town. Simple as that.”

Jones added that 911 calls come first, obviously, but said officers can drop by when they’ve got some down time.

In Avondale Estates, residents can fill out a form online or drop by city hall.

“Avondale Estates has provided this service for residences and businesses alike for several years,” Avondale Estates Police Chief Gary Broden said. “Security Checks are provided throughout the entire year, not just during the holidays.”

Each department provided Decaturish with information about how to schedule a visit from a police officer while you’re out of town.

Decatur

Decatur asks that you schedule holiday checks seven days before you leave town. The police department needs to know when you’re leaving and when you’ll return. You’ll need to provide the best number to reach you in case something is amiss and information about security alarms, if you have one.

All of the information can be submitted by clicking here.

Avondale Estates 

Avondale Estates recommends going through a home security inspection checklist in addition to filling out a form.

“Also, an officer may be requested to come to a citizen’s residence and conduct the inspection as well as make suggestions on how to improve home security,” the city’s website says.

To view the checklist form, click here.

To download the security check form, click here.

You can drop it off at city hall, located at 21 North Avondale Plaza, or you can fax it to 404-299-8137

Atlanta

To schedule an out of town check, you’ll need to call or visit your local police precinct. To find your precinct, click here.

If you live in Kirkwood you’re in Atlanta Police Zone 6, located at 2025 Hosea L Williams Dr NE. The phone number is (404) 371-5002

DeKalb County

DeKalb County Police spokesperson Capt. Steven Fore says, “The resident would just need to call their local precinct and request to put in a house check.  They would need to provide emergency contact or key holder information in the event police discovered anything wrong.”

To find your precinct, click here.

The two closest precincts to our area are the Center Precinct, located at 1960 West Exchange in Tucker, phone number 770-724-7600, and the South Precinct, located at 2842 H. F. Shepherd Drive, Decatur, phone number (404) 286-7911.

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