Police chief calls on leaders to park their egos, fix the criminal justice system

ATLANTA - The police chief in Atlanta calls on leaders to set aside their egos and fix the criminal justice system. 

Erika Shields has complained frequently about what happens after her officers track a suspect and put that suspect in jail. 

Police commanders frequently hear criticism at town hall meetings that even when suspects enter a plea or are convicted, it usually is not long before they are back out and commit another crime. 

Shields says leaders including judges and the district attorney pay too much attention backing up their staff in the face of criticism. Instead, Shields says, all egos -- including her own -- should be parked at the door in order to get to the root of the problem.

Shields says getting accurate data on suspects as well as court scheduling can go a long way toward improving how the criminal justice system works. And the chief says the public should have access to all of that information. 

The boss of APD proposed one independent person be assigned to review and distribute the information -- someone with no direct connection to the police department, the district attorney's office nor the judges.