Chris Ann Lewis and her five daughters have spent almost two years trying to get justice for their son and little brother Matthew Zadok Williams, who was killed by a DeKalb County police officer. “This has to stop. The senseless killing of the mentally ill, it has to stop,” Lewis said. “They’re our brothers, our […]
Policing
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing, Public Safety
Yes, Black People Are Protesting Cop City, Too
For months, politicians including Mayor Andre Dickens and Gov. Brian Kemp have characterized the Stop Cop City movement as being composed of outside “agitators” coming to cause trouble in Atlanta. The 85-acre public safety training facility is set to be built in the South River Forest in south DeKalb County. Surrounded by majority Black neighborhoods, […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Yes, Black People Are Protesting ‘Cop City,’ Too
For months, politicians including Mayor Andre Dickens and Gov. Brian Kemp have characterized the Stop Cop City movement as being composed of outside “agitators” coming to cause trouble in Atlanta. The 85-acre public safety training facility is set to be built in the South River Forest in south DeKalb County. Surrounded by majority Black neighborhoods, […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Tale of the Tape: An Expert Weighs In on the ‘Cop City’ Bodycam Footage
Newly released body camera footage from a deadly encounter at “Cop City” has left locals with more questions than answers. Last week, speculation around the events that led to the Jan. 18 shooting in South River Forest has grown since the Atlanta Police Department released videos from officers in the vicinity of where environmental activist […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Are Relationships Between Black Residents and APD Improving? Mayor Dickens Thinks So.
Mayor Andre Dickens says the rapport between Atlanta police and the city’s Black residents is better now than it was before he took office more than a year ago, despite recent protests over the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols by Memphis, Tennessee, police. “I would say it has improved over the last year,” Dickens said […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Kemp Declares State of Emergency Over Stop ‘Cop City’ Movement
Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency Thursday as tension between police and ‘Cop City’ protesters has brought international attention to Atlanta. Kemp has ordered 1,000 Georgia National Guard troops to be ready to intervene after Saturday’s vigil turned into a protest where some activists “threw rocks, launched fireworks, and burned a police vehicle […]
Posted inCity Politics, Criminal Justice, Policing
Deadly ‘Cop City’ Shooting Divides Residents, Activists, and Law Enforcement
Marcus Hunter bought a home near South River Forest in 2013. The IT consultant said he and many of his neighbors have become numb to hearing about the conflicts between protesters and law enforcement officers at the future site of a massive public safety training facility, dubbed “Cop City” by activists. “Everybody kinda saw it […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Dickens Picks Interim Chief to Head APD
It’s official: Atlanta has a new top cop. Mayor Andre Dickens appointed interim chief Darin Schierbaum to the permanent position. Schierbaum will be the 26th chief of the Atlanta Police Department. “During his service as Interim Chief, we have seen crime drop, significant arrests of gang leaders, and partnership with the community increase,” Dickens said […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Here’s How You Can Tell the Mayor What You Want in a New APD Chief
Mayor Andre Dickens wants Atlanta residents to fill out a survey about what qualities you are looking for in the next chief of police. “Building public trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve is a collaborative process, and our Administration wants to ensure that all Atlantans have a seat at the table so […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Policing
Policing in Atlanta at Center of Upcoming Town Hall Series
An Atlanta nonprofit wants to compensate residents for feedback on police violence and public safety. The Southern Center for Human Rights is hosting a series of town hall meetings to engage the community with the goal of receiving holistic data to make policy recommendations directly to Atlanta officials. The initiative from the public interest law […]