Atlanta Residents Advocate for Changes While the City Council Allots More Money to Police

Atlanta, we cannot stop letting our voices be heard. Two weeks ago, 753 ATL residents made public comments on the FY21 City of Atlanta Proposed Budget and changes to the Budget were made.

Last Friday, over 1,000 residents made public comments on how our tax dollars, the Budget funds, should be spent. Most comments were on the future of APD, the Jail and how funding can be better allocated according to what citizens/residents need.


Well, more changes have been made. The protests AND the public comments are putting needed pressure on our leaders to make decisions with our input on what we want and need.

Now, there is another need for public comments to be made to the Atlanta Public Safety Committee who will meet to make changes in policing, ACRB and public safety overall. Let's keep this momentum going during this unprecedented window of opportunity for long-term change!

HERE'S THE DEAL:

With all the local, national & international protests and citizens are demanding an end to:

- The killing of unarmed Black men
- Police remaining on the job despite excessive complaints
- Police not being prosecuted for killing Black unarmed men and women
Call to Action

Make a difference in supporting public safety in Atlanta and the Atlanta Citizens Review Board (ACRB) www.acrbgov.org . Call (404) 330-6022 tp support of the an organization already commissioned, trained and in place to help support and protect Atlanta citizens so that Kathryn Johnston https://www.ajc.com/news/local/ajc-deja-news-kathryn-johnston-killed-illegal-police-drug-raid-home/E79OMod5kDtvvEAUt1QWrK/ and other deaths by APD officers will finally come to an end.

A) Leave a voice mail that is 2 minutes or less
B) Mention one or more of the following points

1) - If it we’re a requirement that 85% or more of the recommendations made my ACRB be accepted, many of the officers who kill and commit other heinous offenses against citizens would be disciplined and/or terminated before they are able to harm more citizens.

2) - citizens want the ACRB recommendations to be honored... it was created to protect citizens. Looking good on paper makes the city look good, yet grossly harms and victimizes citizens.

3) - ACRB needs to be consulted and included in all matters of law enforcement oversight for ATL Police and corrections officers because ACRB Board members are required to have periodic training on new police trainings & techniques, are members of the community, and better understand all factors involved when looking to update policy and procedures for future officer guidelines and interactions. Other civilians lack much of this critical expertise and insight.

4) - Real support of the ACRB puts officers on notice that rogue behavior will not be tolerated in Atlanta. Instead all citizens will be treated with dignity, respect and compassion. Rogue officers will quit. Morale will skyrocket and communities can begin to heal

5) - Having a civilian oversight Board is unique. Taking it seriously and supporting it empowers good officers, keeps communities safe and saves lives. Use and fully support ACRB. Thanks to Councilman Dickens for introducing legislation that will expand better and support a critical component of what will help Atlanta be more accountable to its’ citizens...the very people who pay taxes that pay the officers who are violating and killing them.

6) - ACRB has had many discussions and fully supports President Obama’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Of the 5 components of effective policing the Task Force recommended five years ago on May 18, 2015, community policing is one of them. Moving forward, think of the lives that will be saved and the trust that will be built when Atlanta expands its use of community policing and fully implements 21st Century Policing... in 2020, not 5 years or two years from now. This can be implemented this year, in 2020. ATL cannot wait. ATL must raise the bar and set the bar as the “Home of the Civil Rights Movement”.

If Black Lives Matter in the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Do It NOW!! JUST DO IT!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/President%27s_Task_Force_on_21st_Century_Policing


7) - We all understand and appreciate that most officers are good officers. However, until systems are improved to root out the bad ones, the community and good officers will continue to suffer. Prosecuting officers, implementing minimum sentences, not allowing them to financially benefit, and taking their pension would send a very clear message that rogue/racist/inhumane behavior WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN THE ATLANTA, home of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. & the Home of the Civil Rights Movement.

We demand and should have implemented before year end, policies and procedures to root out those who do not respect “Black Lives”.

8) - Any current policies and contracts that allow officers who have more than three excessive force complaints should be immediately be taken off ATL streets until they can be evaluated mentally and administratively before the next unarmed Black man or woman is victimized or killed. Any officer with a clear history of this type of excessive and unacceptable behavior, despite having the necessary training, should be removed. Institute policies that incentivize public safety not public terrorizing of civilians.

9) - It has been proven time and time again that community policing significantly decreases crime and builds trust between officers and the community. So why has it not been fully utilized?? No. Don’t answer that question. Instead, institute the policies recommended by the Obama Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Don’t wait, DO IT NOW! Atlanta deserves to lead the nation in fully implementing these proven strategies.

C) Encourage your social media circle of influence to do the same.

See the schedule below of the City of Atlanta Committee upcoming meetings and call (404) 330- 6022 with your 2 minute comments. This line is open 24/7 and closes one hour before the committee meetings.