Atlanta kisha lance bottoms announced a plan to hire two hundred fifty new police officers in the next fiscal year. Beginning july first. The mayor made her remarks. During wednesday's virtual state of the city address. The speech was prerecorded on march. twenty third. Bottom speech focused heavily on issues. Certain to be at the heart of this year's mayoral election including administration's response to crime affordable housing homelessness the pandemic and the social unrest last summer. The mayor faces a challenge this year from atlanta city council president felicia moore who has served more than two decades on the city council and has said crime would be her top priority. As mayor bottom said ninety police recruits are currently in the pipeline. And that she is working with the city council to enact a retention bonus for officers. The department is about four hundred officers under its authorized level.