A significant gathering of activists took place at Atlanta's City Hall in anticipation of a council vote regarding the allocation of tens of millions in public funding for the proposed construction of a police and firefighter training center. This facility, commonly referred to as "Cop City" by activists, has been the subject of intense criticism and opposition. The meeting marked the [...]
A New Front Line in the Debate Over Policing: A Forest Near Atlanta Publication: The New York Times Author: Sean Keenan and Joseph Goldstein Date: March 4, 2023 Takeaway/Summary: - When construction crews rolled into a patch of pine and maple trees southeast of Atlanta last month, the scene had more in common with a military incursion than a municipal building [...]
Community Violence Interventions—Not More Police—Are The Future Of Public Safety Forbes - Nazish Dholakia, Senior Writer, & Daniela Gilbert Redefining Public Safety Director, Vera Institute of Justice Gun violence is rising across the country—in big cities and rural communities, in red states and blue ones. Especially hard hit are Black communities and other communities of color that have experienced decades of [...]
Investing in Evidence-Based Alternatives to Policing Vera - Staff Changing the ways police operate in communities is integral to dismantling systemic racism. Local budgets disproportionately fund police departments over other public services that would promote public safety, including housing, employment support, education, and public health. Using police and punitive approaches as the primary tools to address health and social issues including [...]
