In a news conference here announcing the arrests, Kent B. Alexander, the United States Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, said, "At a time when law enforcement is coming under increasing scrutiny, this is a very important case." After referring to the assertions about Mr. Furhman and the Los Angeles Police Department, Mr. Alexander said, "Chief Beverly Harvard came to us with this investigation after other officers in her department said that they were tired of bad cops sullying their reputation."

Chief Harvard and the Mayor of Atlanta, Bill Campbell, who both appeared at the news conference, said the announcements had both pained and heartened them. "Nothing hurts worse than police corruption," the Mayor said. But he added that the city was determined to show that it would deal "seriously and aggressively" with such accusations.

Some of the officers arrested had less than eight years on the city's 1,600-member police force. Others had as many as 18 years on the force. All but one were assigned to Zone 3, a relatively high-crime area near downtown Atlanta.

Those arrested are Sgt. Dale Hendrix, 39, and Officers Edgar Allen, 32; Ronald B. Grimes Jr., 35; Willie D. Jackson, 41; William A. Vaughn Jr., 27, and Michael D. Williams, 29.

Mr. Alexander said his office would probably seek indictments against the officers on violation of the Hobbs Act, which makes it illegal for them to use their positions as police officers to extort money or engage in other illegal activities. Conviction on a single count of violating the act carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.