Atlanta's Proposed Cop City Goes To Ballot

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I though I saw another thread on this, but can't find it now. Lots of protests, some violent, lots of arrests. The people don't want it. The city doesn't care.


'Cop City' protesters collect enough signatures to put referendum on ballot

ABC|13 hours ago
Cop City' protesters, fighting against the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, have collected enough signatures to head to a referendum.

 

[KMFJD]

I believe they are aiming for 100,000 signature, need 58,000 , appears that the city really wants to ignore the citizens here

 

[KMFJD]

Atlanta's pulling out all the dirty tricks now

Referendum coalition says city will use voter suppression technique

By: Matt Scott Update: City Council Office of Communications issued a press release Monday afternoon confirmed the city plans to manually verify each signature and other information line-by-line. O…

atlpresscollective.com

 

[Greenman]

Lot of hoopla over a training facility.

 

[HomerJS]

Lot of hoopla over a training facility.

Perhaps if Republicans didn't engage is frequent voter suppression the argument would carry less weight. Most of that suppression is against POC

 

[Greenman]

Perhaps if Republicans didn't engage is frequent voter suppression the argument would carry less weight. Most of that suppression is against POC

How is that pertinent to a training facility?
If the community doesn't want it that's fine, but I don't understand the outrage over it. If the two options are having a well trained force or an untrained force it seems like A would be the obvious choice.

 

[HomerJS]

How is that pertinent to a training facility?
If the community doesn't want it that's fine, but I don't understand the outrage over it. If the two options are having a well trained force or an untrained force it seems like A would be the obvious choice.

I responding to the voter suppression claim in the article reminding people that Republicans do engage in voter suppression.

Here is an explanation for the rationale of the protest. At a minimum the fears are legitimate.

A proposed public safety training center set to be built in a forest near Atlanta has sparked months of protests from activists who say the project will damage the environment and contribute to the militarization of police.

What is 'Cop City?' Why activists are protesting police, fire department training center in Atlanta.

The\u00a0Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, dubbed 'Cop City' by opponents, is a $90 million, 85-acre training space for police and fire personnel.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Be cool if a sensible person were put in charge of the place and training. Open part of it as a public park/rec area and focus the training or public interaction and crisis de-escalation. Use some if to train non-sworn public service people.

Some tactical training is necessary these days (in no small part to the Orange Cultists), but awareness training to the public to help them understand what and why could be a big help. The 'us vs. them' concept needs to yield to 'yeah, we work for them, they are our neighbors'.


Public could/should even sit in on some of the classes.

 

[dainthomas]

How is that pertinent to a training facility?
If the community doesn't want it that's fine, but I don't understand the outrage over it. If the two options are having a well trained force or an untrained force it seems like A would be the obvious choice.

Unless the training is "how to not oppress people and violate the rights of the citizenry" idgaf. They can find somewhere else to ride around in APCs and play Rambo with their military weaponry.

 

[Greenman]

I responding to the voter suppression claim in the article reminding people that Republicans do engage in voter suppression.

Here is an explanation for the rationale of the protest. At a minimum the fears are legitimate.

What is 'Cop City?' Why activists are protesting police, fire department training center in Atlanta.

The\u00a0Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, dubbed 'Cop City' by opponents, is a $90 million, 85-acre training space for police and fire personnel.

www.usatoday.com

The fears appear to be just that, fears. It seems unlikely to me that the facility will be used to teach the hunting of minorities.
All first responders require training, all training requires some sort of facility, even if it's just an open field.
There was no logical argument in that article to justify stopping the project. "Cops bad" doesn't work. I assume that the operation could be moved elsewhere, but that changes nothing. It will be the same facility, the same people, the same material, the same procedures, just in a different place.
I simply don't see what stopping it achieves.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

"In linking the defendants to the alleged conspiracy, prosecutors have made a huge series of allegations — everything from possessing fire accelerant and throwing Molotov cocktails at police officers to being reimbursed for glue and food for the activists who spent months camping in the woods near the construction site."

61 indicted in Georgia on racketeering charges connected to 'Stop Cop City' protests

Prosecutors allege the defendants are "militant anarchists" who have supported a violent movement that prosecutors trace to the widespread 2020 racial justice protests.

www.pbs.org

OH NO! Not FOOD!!!!

 

[Fenixgoon]

The fears appear to be just that, fears. It seems unlikely to me that the facility will be used to teach the hunting of minorities.
All first responders require training, all training requires some sort of facility, even if it's just an open field.
There was no logical argument in that article to justify stopping the project. "Cops bad" doesn't work. I assume that the operation could be moved elsewhere, but that changes nothing. It will be the same facility, the same people, the same material, the same procedures, just in a different place.
I simply don't see what stopping it achieves.

Militarization of the police is bad, period. Let me ask you this - what fraction of the training time will be spent on de-escalation skills vs. (lethal) use of force?

 

[MrSquished]

Militarization of the police is bad, period. Let me ask you this - what fraction of the training time will be spent on de-escalation skills vs. (lethal) use of force?

the use of violence and lack of de-escalation training is a feature, not a bug, to regressives like greenman.

 

[Greenman]

Militarization of the police is bad, period. Let me ask you this - what fraction of the training time will be spent on de-escalation skills vs. (lethal) use of force?

I have no idea, but if that's the issue wouldn't it be a better idea crusade for better training as opposed to none?

 

[Vic]

Remember guys, if we don't accept the criminal behavor of corrupt cops, and dare try to do the slightest thing to hold those 'few' bad apples accountable to the public, that means we hate cops and love criminals and lawlessness.

 

[BoomerD]

I have no idea, but if that's the issue wouldn't it be a better idea crusade for better training as opposed to none?

On this we agree. Most people...I said MOST people agree that the cops need more/better training. Where we differ is on what kind of training they receive. Lawyers are required to have...6 years? of training to practice law...Police get a few months to ENFORCE the law.

 

[GodisanAtheist]

@Greenman the idea here is cops need to show they're capable of proper policing first, then they get their nice academy, not the other way around.

As it is, the nice academy will simply further entrench poor police behaviors, making it even more difficult to get good cops that don't want to kill the people they're supposed to protect.

 

[BoomerD]

@Greenman the idea here is cops need to show they're capable of proper policing first, then they get their nice academy, not the other way around.

As it is, the nice academy will simply further entrench poor police behaviors, making it even more difficult to get good cops that don't want to kill the people they're supposed to protect.

As long as they're required to police a resistant criminal element, there will always be an "us vs. them" attitude on both sides. That leads to serious confrontations.

 

[sportage]

Just the tip of the iceberg.
Who do you think Donald Trump will rely on to get him force elected after he again loses in Georgia? Someones got to beat some sense into those democrats protesting in the streets post Election Day 2024. And in order to do THAT the police needs to be trained to act like thugs, just as in any other respectable dictatorship.
All the weirdness, all the craziness...??? All roads lead to Maralago. Republican states, republican governors, republican legislators, it all boils down to WWG1WGA. You think this sorta stuff just happens? Next time, there will be no mistakes.

 

[ivwshane]

I have no idea, but if that's the issue wouldn't it be a better idea crusade for better training as opposed to none?

If they get their million(s) training city, what do you think the chances are of getting additional money for de-escalation training?


It’s funny how the right is always complaining about the governments boot on the neck of its citizens but sure as silent when it’s actually, literally a boot on the neck of its citizens.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

If they get their million(s) training city, what do you think the chances are of getting additional money for de-escalation training?


It’s funny how the right is always complaining about the governments boot on the neck of its citizens but sure as silent when it’s actually, literally a boot on the neck of its citizens.

Just mandate third party auditing by actual experts (meaning old nerds from universities, not prior police). No auditing, no money.

 

[Greenman]

@Greenman the idea here is cops need to show they're capable of proper policing first, then they get their nice academy, not the other way around.

As it is, the nice academy will simply further entrench poor police behaviors, making it even more difficult to get good cops that don't want to kill the people they're supposed to protect.

So we need to require proper training before suppling proper training? I believe I just banged my knees on a paradox.

 

[MrSquished]

So we need to require proper training before suppling proper training? I believe I just banged my knees on a paradox.

Those weren't your knees, that was your dunce cap.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Personally, I think the 'prosecutor' in my post above is a prime candidate for the new oversight committee to take a hard look at.

 

[soundforbjt]

Greenman’s ideal town...