As crime continues to be a major concern for Atlanta residents and has already become the focal point for the upcoming mayoral election, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms released a plan on April 6 she says will address police strategy and reform.
Bottoms said in a statement that the “One Atlanta: One APD Community Policing Roadmap” will build on the previously released One Atlanta: One APD Immediate Action Plan to Address Violent Crime. The strategies outlined in the roadmap focus on building trust between law enforcement and residents by working collaboratively to identify potential issues, solve existing problems, and reduce social disorder in neighborhoods.
The roadmap categorizes actions into six focus areas: accountability, community engagement, partnerships, public safety, reform, and transparency. Some key upcoming actions outlined in the roadmap include:
- Building a new, state-of-the-art Public Safety Training Academy
- Expanding the Operation Shield camera network
- Expanding At-Promise Center programming through the opening of two new At-Promise Centers in Southeast and Southwest Atlanta
- Requiring ICAT (Integrating Communications, Assessment, and Tactics) training for Atlanta Police Department officers, a training program developed by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) that provides first-responding police officers with the tools, skills and options to defuse potentially dangerous situations
The mayor said the roadmap also continues to build on her Mayor’s Use of Force Advisory Council, which made recommendations in the wake of the killing of George Floyd last year.
Bottoms reiterated her commitment to adding 250 new APD officers on the streets within the next fiscal year.
“A key factor in building trust between our officers and the communities they serve is the cultivation of relationships within those communities,” Bottoms said in a statement. “While we collectively focus on building that trust, it is important to acknowledge that the vast majority of our officers show up each and every day with the same desire as that of our residents—safe interactions with law enforcement officers that secure our streets and ensure Atlanta remains a world-class city.”
The post Mayor releases roadmap to address police strategy and reform as part of crimefighting effort appeared first on Atlanta Intown.