Crime & Public Safety

Safer Neighborhoods for All

It is no secret that our crime numbers are through the roof, with violent crime up nearly 60%. Our community has a right to feel safe in our neighborhoods. We need both short-term tactics and long-term solutions to address the root causes of violent crime. As our next City Councilmember:  

  1. I will make sure we hit our staffing targets across the board, including our firefighters, police, and 911 operators. We are budgeted and approved for 2,000 personnel on our police force and 1600 firefighters, but we currently have 1,600 officers, less than 1000 firefighters, and far too few 911 operators. We need to be sure these funded positions are filled. We can fill these open positions by focusing on diversifying our public safety response teams to include un-armed traffic officers and mental health professionals, which will be my number one priority.

  2. I will fight for a COLA programs and workforce housing for our first responders to address attrition rates and to keep officers in the communities that they serve.

  3. I will insist on new de-escalation training to decrease incidents of excessive force, circumvent unnecessary arrests and limit militarized tactics.

  4. I will work with organizations like PAD (Police Alternatives and Diversion) to expand and diversify our public safety operations into a fully formed Public Safety Department, including a 24/7 mental health and poverty response team with specialized training.

  5. I will push for the creation of a Diversion Center in place of the Atlanta City Detention Center that can divert non-violent individuals out of the criminal justice system and provide them with the resources they need. 

  6. I will work directly with the community to develop a system of community care that gives agency to our neighbors and decreases the need for police presence over time

I know the best antidote to crime is providing a pathway to job security and housing security, which is why it is also vital that we invest in workforce development and workforce housing. To read more about my vision for affordability in our city click here.