ATLANTA — Atlanta City Councilman Kwanza Hall introduced a legislative package aimed at defusing tension and building trust between communities and law enforcement. Under Mayor Kasim Reed’s leadership the Atlanta Police Department (APD) has made progress implementing recommendations put forward by President Obama’s 21st Century Policing Task Force.
However, communities who have been protesting since recent events in St. Paul, Dallas and Baton Rouge presented a list of reforms they would like to see in the City of Atlanta at a meeting with City officials this morning.
The legislative package is comprised of three pieces:
- A Resolution creating a City of Atlanta Task Force to further implement recommendations in the 21st Century Policing Task Force. The Task Force will be comprised of 17 representatives from the City and law enforcement bodies as well as community groups who focus on civil justice.
- An Police Transparency Ordinance that will affirm APD’s commitment to release video within 48-72 hours from serious incidents and create and maintain a web-based searchable database of incidents.
- An Ordinance that repeals sections of Atlanta’s Quality of Life ordinances (Chapter 106) that are outdated, duplicative of state law, or that lead to racial profiling and unnecessary jail time in the Atlanta City Detention Center.
“I think Atlanta can be a national leader in bringing our law enforcement community and our residents together to move forward and strengthen our city,” said Councilman Hall. “I’m looking forward to the robust conversation that these policy ideas will generate.”