Initiative To Transform Policing Introduced By Georgia Chiefs

GEORGIA — Following the death of George Floyd who died while in police custody last week, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police has created an initiative to transform policing in the state.

"As with other professional police officials across the country, we found the video of George Floyd’s death at the hands of police officers reprehensible and sickening," the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police wrote in a release Wednesday. "We can no longer stand behind simple anecdotal solutions to address complex problems. His death is not a police training issue, but the result of a troubled culture. Over the last 30 years, many agencies have engaged in community policing efforts that unfortunately, for some agencies, have been more about transforming their image than making effective change. To build deeper, lasting transformation, agencies must build relationships with their communities that are built on trust."

In August 2019, seven police agencies from across Georgia came together in LaGrange to participate in a demonstration project to build trust with marginalized community members. The seven communities include: Albany, Covington, Decatur, DeKalb County, LaGrange, Perry, and Thomasville.

As they move forward with this project, each agency will work with minority, business, and faith community representatives as well as elected officials to complete a four-phase program to identify and resolve issues adversely effecting marginalized communities, the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police said.

"This initiative is the largest coordinated effort ever attempted in one state to fundamentally identify and address the underlying causes of disparate treatment and lack of trust between police agencies and their communities," the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police said. "We are currently in the fundraising phase of the project. Once this has been accomplished, we expect agencies will rapidly move forward with community partners to lead what will likely be a transformational effort across Georgia."

The press release was signed by the seven department heads:

• Chief Michael Persley, Albany Police Department
• Chief Stacey L. Cotton, Covington Police Department
• Chief James M. “Mike” Booker, Decatur Police Department
• Director Joseph Lumpkin, DeKalb County Department of Public Safety
• Chief Louis M. Dekmar, LaGrange Police Department
• Chief Steve Lynn, Perry Police Department
• Chief Troy Rich, Thomasville Police Department

Chief Wesley Walker, president of the Georgia Association of Chiefs of Police, said earlier this week that the association was shocked by the video from Minneapolis due to it documenting a death that should not have occurred.

"Law enforcement officers hold a unique position within our society," Walker wrote. "They have the power, with or without due process, to deprive a person of their liberty, property, and sometimes, their life. Because of this power, they must be held accountable for their actions. The citizens would not accept anything less, and neither should we.

"Police chiefs and police officers across the State of Georgia have invested a great deal of effort to develop and promote community trust of the police. It is never a 'one and done' effort, but rather a continuous and purposeful desire to build and strengthen the connection with and the trust of the community we serve. When a very small percentage of law enforcement officers act outside of the law and/or policy and fail to uphold their oaths, it is a negative reflection upon all of us."