Public Safety Community Torn over Mayoral Race
With less than two months before Atlanta’s mayoral election, crime and public safety continue to dominate debates and forums but the public safety community appears no closer to a consensus on which candidate is best-suited to keep the city safe.
Former State Sen. Kasim Reed (D-Atlanta) announced Tuesday he is receiving the endorsement of the Atlanta chapter of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters, better known as the Atlanta Progressive Firefighters.
“Sen. Reed has consistently been on the right side of protecting the interests of all firefighters across Atlanta. Sen. Reed has our full and unwavering support because of his proven commitment to public safety and the hardworking men and women who put their lives on the line every single day to make our city safe,” Cameron Dixon, president of the Atlanta Progressive Firefighters, said in a statement. “Sen. Reed is a forward thinking leader and is the right person to lead our city in a new direction.”
One month ago, Councilmember Mary Norwood received the endorsement of Atlanta Professional Fire Fighters Local 134.
“For the last eight years on city council, Mary Norwood has been a tireless champion for public safety in Atlanta,” Jim Daws, president of the Atlanta Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 134, said in an Aug. 14 statement. “She’s been a true friend to our fire fighters and always fought to make sure we had the resources to protect Atlanta’s citizens. With Mary, you don’t have to wonder what she will do, she has proven herself. She has earned our support and we are proud to endorse her for mayor of Atlanta.”
Late last month, the International Brotherhood of Police Officers (IBPO) Local 623 announced its endorsement of City Council President Lisa Borders.
Sgt. Scott Kreher, president of IBPO Local 623 said in an Aug. 28 statement:
During the last several years, your support of our members has been undying. We believe you have the strength and the understanding to ensure our members moral is rebuilt, allowing us to regain confidence in our leadership. Your vision of rebuilding the trust in our neighborhoods between the police and its citizens will allow those taken over by crime to once again live in a safe, vibrant city. In order for Community Oriented Policing to truly work, we must have enough officers to ensure a beat officer is available for each neighborhood. Your plan for public safety ensures the police department will be able to deliver. We look forward to breaking down barriers with you to ensure our city is safe and has a police force we can all be proud of.
The IBPO Local 623 represents over 1,100 Atlanta police officers.
Kyle Keyser, founder of the grassroots group Atlantans Together Against Crime (ATAC), with its 10,000+ members, threw his hat into the mayoral contest earlier this month, if only to remind the other candidates how important public safety is to voters.
“I believe all the current candidates are talented and care about the City. Still, at my core, I can’t bring myself to fully sign over to any of them. Like a Kirkwood resident I recently spoke with, I ask “how can I simply ‘roll the dice’ when the City’s needs are so dire,” Keyser wrote in a Sept. 1 statement.