Atlanta Public Safety Training Center opponents begin canvassing after petition approval

ATLANTA - The clock is ticking for opponents of a controversial $90-million training center for Atlanta police and first responders. They now have less than two months to collect tens of thousands of signatures for a petition that would put what they call "Cop City" on the November ballot.

The petition would put the training center up to the people. Voters would get to decide if they want that Atlanta Public Safety Training Center.

Organizers on Thursday picked up the first of thousands petition forms.

"We’re returning the decision-making process to the people," said Scarlet Mayoralgo, an organizer with the Stop Cop City coalition. "The ballot referendum is a form of direct democracy. The petition would repeal the legislation that has authorized the lease and the funding."

Atlanta City Council earlier this month approved funding for the site, despite hundreds of opponents flooding city hall to urge leaders to vote no and more than a year of protests.

The municipal clerk on Wednesday approved the petition after initially rejecting it twice due to technicalities. Organizers now face the tall order of collecting more than 70,000 signatures in less than 60 days. "We can do it. It’s really possible when you think about the exponential people power that we’ve garnered since this was introduced in 2021," Mayoralgo said.

Organizer Paul Glaze recognizes the climb will be steep. "I’m not going to say it’s not ambitious, but it is realistic. We’ve had 3,000 people express interest. We have 200 people trained up to lead to canvass," Glaze said. "If we go to the people and we have this on the ballot that we can have an honest conversation about this and the people are mature enough to decide for themselves."

City clerk Vanessa Waldon confirmed she provided copies of the petition to an organizer.

Organizers have until Aug. 15 to get more than 70,000 signatures.

Here are some of the requirements to sign. You must be an Atlanta resident; you must have voted in the 2021 city elections; a city resident must witness you sign the petition. The petition must be a pen-to-paper hard copy.