ATLANTA - Changes may be coming to the Atlanta Police Department policy. The Atlanta City Council will be taking up those changes during Monday’s meeting.
The council is considering adopting the so-called “8 Can’t Wait” principals, integrating new use of force policies. Those principals include:
• Banning chokeholds and strangleholds
• Requiring de-escalation strategies
• Requiring a warning before shooting
• Exhausting all alternatives before shooting
• Duty to intervene (from other officers)
• Banning shooting at moving vehicles
• Requiring use of force continuum
• Requiring comprehensive reporting involving use of force against civilians.
The platform is part of Campaign Zero, a police reform initiative launched in 2015. The reforms in the legislation aim to improve community interactions with the police and reduce the number of violent encounters.
At the same meeting, the city will consider making Juneteenth paid city holiday and making a permanent “Black Lives Matter” mural on an Atlanta roadway.
The meeting will be held Monday at 1 p.m. and will be televised on the Council’s website, YouTube channel, Channel 26, as well as the Council’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Residents can participate in the public comments portion by calling 404-330-6001 and leaving a voicemail, including their name and contact information. Public comments for the Zoning Committee may be left by calling 404-330-6035, and for Committee on Council by calling 404-330-6069. No public comments are allowed on legislative items that have gone before or will go before the Zoning Review Board. Public comment will close one hour prior to the start of the meeting.