Category Archives: Kathryn Johnston

Atlanta Public Safety Committee Approves New CRB Powers

ivory the greatest

(APN) ATLANTA — The Atlanta City Council’s Public Safety/Legal Administration Committee (PS/LA) discussed and then voted unanimously to confirm the changes on an ordinance granting new powers to the Atlanta Citizens Review Board (A CRB) at its meeting on Tuesday, March 15, 2016 at 3:00 p.m.   Supporting the measure were Councilmembers C.T. Martin (District 10), Ivory Lee Young Jr. […]

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Reform of Atlanta Citizen Review Board Underway, as Covington Forms CRB

acrb

(APN) ATLANTA — Reforming the Atlanta Citizen Review Board (ACRB), which investigates civilian complaints against police, is finally up for discussion at Atlanta City Hall.   Atlanta City Councilman Ivory Lee Young Jr. (District 3) introduced proposed reforms toward the end of the council meeting on February 15, 2015.   Atlanta Progressive News reported that Samuel Lee Reid, director of […]

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DeKalb Residents Consider Citizen Review Board as ACRB Proposes Reforms

lee reid

(APN) DECATUR — The Atlanta Citizen Review Board (ACRB) is looking to change some things about the way it operates.   At a meeting of Atlantans Building Leadership for Empowerment (ABLE) on May 19, 2015, ACRB Executive Director Samuel Lee Reid outlined several of fifteen reforms the Board originally made public in February 2015.   ABLE invited Reid to speak […]

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Atlanta Citizens Review Board Gets on Activists’ Last Nerve

acrb

(APN) ATLANTA — On Thursday, May 14, 2015, the meeting of the Atlanta Citizens Review Board (ACRB) at the Ben Hill Recreation Center was packed with citizens expressing their dissatisfaction with the Board for myriad reasons.  Current issues include demanding an end to the “Don’t Run Campaign” and demanding an investigation into the death of Alexia Christian.   The City […]

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No Knock Warrants Pass Out of Senate Committee

no knock vote

(APN) ATLANTA — On Wednesday, March 04, 2015, the Senate Judiciary Non-Civil Committee passed out of Committee, SB 159, by State Sen. Jesse Stone (R-Waynesboro), the No-Knock Search Warrant Bill, by a seven to one vote.   Only State Sen. Mike Crane (R- Newnan) opposed the bill.   As reported by Atlanta Progressive News, the stated intent of the bill […]

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No Knock Warrant “Reform” Would Actually Codify No Knock Warrants

pak subcmte

With additional reporting by Matthew Charles Cardinale (APN) ATLANTA — On Monday, February 09, 2015, the Pak Subcommittee of Judiciary Non-Civil Committee passed the language in HB 56, commonly called the “No Knock bill,” with only minor tweaks.   http://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/en-US/Display/20152016/HB/56   The bill’s supporters say it will reform Georgia’s problematic practice of no knock warrants on the part of of […]

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FEATURE: The Many Eric Garners of Georgia

bou bou et al

(APN) ATLANTA — The police murders of Mike Brown of Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner of New York may be dominating national headlines–having inspired a diverse national movement against police brutality–but here in Georgia, there has been a long history of the same that has been equally as deserving of concern.   A TIMELINE OF POLICE BRUTALITY AND MURDERS   […]

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Sen. Fort, Activists Unveil Law Enforcement Policy Reform Package

sen fort reform

(APN) ATLANTA — On Tuesday, January 21, 2015, State Sen. Vincent Fort (D-Atlanta) today introduced to the public a broad Law Enforcement Reform package.  It is sponsored by a bipartisan group of Georgia legislators.   Events in the news have prompted an outcry across the nation for police reform and the demilitarization of the police: From the death of Michael […]

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