◆ SpookStack

W. R. Gilbert to Mr. Monroe Memorandum Re: ATKID The FBI instituted a school survey in late March which covered all students in the greater Atlanta area in grades four wR tenn erhan wht nk through ten. A statement was provided to each teacher which was read to all children in these grades asking for responses relative to any attempt by any individual to lure a male child into a vehicle using a subtle pretext such as: (A) An offer of money to perform a job; (B) Asking directions to a certain building or place and then asking the child to get into a vehicle to show the way to this building or place; (C) A solicitation to help unload a truck by a delivery man, i.e., bread man, milk man, etc.; and (D) A police officer, a security guard, or a postal employee asking a child to get into a vehicle. This survey resulted in a considerable number of positive responses which have been screened and, as a result, the FBI has 946 positive responses that are lead generating and require follow-up interviews of the children. This will require a considerable effort on the part of personnel assigned to the ATKID special. Samples of the school survey are available for review. The most immediate proactive role of the FBI at the present time is in the coordination of bridge surveillances. By way of background, the FBI is convinced that several of the children were dumped off bridges into the Chattahoochee and South Rivers. The FBI approached the Task Force on 4/2/81 to propose a coordinated bridge surveillance. We were advised by an official that this was being handled by the Task Force, The FRI determined, subsequently, that it was a somewhat sporadic effort as evidenced by the several bodies recovered in the Chattahoochee during April. This resulted in the FBI formally organizing a two-week joint surveillance of 14 suspect bridges commencing 4/27/81 and continuing through 5/10/81. The bridge detail involves dusk-to-dawn surveillances by 18 Agents, 14 police officers, and 40 police recruits. All communications were over FBI frequencies, and from discussions with Agents who were participating in the surveillances, it was evident that the coverage is very difficult. They are being exposed to the elements, insects, and animals, but the coordinators are very optimistic that this difficult surveillance could break the case. The end result is that there is one Agent, one police officer, and two or three recruits under, on, and over each bridge for a ten- to-twelve hour period with a chase car secreted discreetly at each end of the bridges. The bridges are lightly traveled during the pertinent period and bodies have been recovered within a mile of =-3- CONTINUED - OVER