ADD YOUR NAME NOW: STOP “COP CITY” IN ATL!
Have you heard of “Cop City” in Atlanta, dear friend ?
The Atlanta Police Foundation, backed by their corporate donors and members of City Council, is trying to turn a forest in Southeast Atlanta into a massive police training facility nicknamed “Cop City.”1
The Old Atlanta Prison Farm is a former prison labor camp that was active until the 1970s. Now, the Atlanta Police Foundation is attempting to turn this vital green space and wetlands into a massive training facility for cops — encompassing a land area larger than 85 NFL football fields.2
While many members of Atlanta’s City Council have backed this plan, Atlanta activists and a group called “ Defend the Atlanta Forest” have worked tirelessly to delay the City Council’s vote on Cop City.
Dear friend, you have previously demanded transparency and accountability when it comes to police foundations by signing a previous petition — thank you ! Now we need your help to continue the fight against the Atlanta Police Foundation.
Make no mistake, friend : Cop City is an environmental nightmare AND a threat to Black lives. We have until September 7 to demand all Atlanta City Council Members vote NO on the development of Cop City.3
Sign the Petition: Tell Atlanta City Council to vote NO on Cop City!
“Cop City'' is a $90 million project that would be funded by the Atlanta Police Foundation, and backed by their corporate sponsors such as Delta Airlines, Cox Enterprises, Bank of America, Mercedes Benz, and many more.
As communities and advocates demand investments in what actually keeps Black people safe, healthy, and housed, police foundations undermine those efforts, increase police budgets, and support militarization. Police foundations are a backchannel to funnel millions of dollars to police departments without politicians or the public knowing.
Let’s be clear : The Atlanta Police Foundation is a private organization that serves as the Atlanta Police Department’s secret piggy bank. The police foundation gives APD money, equipment, and a blank check to terrorize Black Atlantans.
Through police foundations, private donors and corporations fund expanded surveillance that fuels gentrification and the criminalization of Black people. The Atlanta Police Foundation has already funded over 12,000 surveillance cameras to monitor over-policed Black Atlantans, making Atlanta the most surveilled city in the United States. This program, called “Operation Shield,” has allowed the police department to endlessly monitor Black people at every turn.4
If built, Cop City would be one of the largest training facilities for police in the country, larger than the training facilities for the NYPD and LAPD combined. Cop City would include “mock urbanized settings” for cops to train, shooting ranges, stables for police horses, and programs to expand the size and scope of Atlanta Police.5
Until justice is real,
Scott, Erika, Rashad, Arisha, Malachi, Megan, Ernie, Palika, Ariel, Madison, Trevor, Erick, Ana, Kristiana, McKayla and the Color Of Change team.
References :
1. Atlanta Poised to approve massive police training facility despite public opposition, The Intercept, 11 August 2021.
2. Internal memo obtained by The Mainline shows police foundation’s response to proposed amendments on training facility legislation, The Mainline, 16 August 2021.
3. A Guide to Understanding the Proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, a.k.a. “Cop City”, Butter.ATL, 16 August 2021.
4. This is the most heavily surveilled city in the US: 50 CCTV cameras per 1,000 citizens, Cyber News, 22 February 2021.
5. A Guide to Understanding the Proposed Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, a.k.a. “Cop City”, Butter.ATL, 16 August 2021.
Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. Please help keep our movement strong.
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