After a lengthy and contentious debate, Atlanta lawmakers have voted in favor of allocating $30 million towards the construction of an 85-acre public safety training center, despite facing fierce opposition from critics who refer to the project as “Cop City”, Your Content has learned.
The City Council’s decision to provide funding for the facility, which will cater to the training needs of police, firefighters, and emergency responders, has generated significant outrage and protests within the council chamber.
Chants of “‘Cop City’ will not be built” filled the room as the vote passed with an 11-4 majority.
The approval comes after years of protests from individuals concerned about the environmental impact of the proposed campus and its potential for facilitating what they perceive as “urban warfare” training by the police.
The situation escalated in January when an environmental activist was fatally shot by officers during an attempt to clear the site, leading to subsequent property damage and arrests during a vigil held in the activist’s honor.
Over 350 individuals signed up to share their views during the public comment period before the vote, the vast majority expressing emotional opposition to the project.
Critics argue that the training center will not enhance public safety but rather perpetuate a militaristic approach to policing, thereby encouraging the use of force.
In light of the vote, Atlanta officials have stated that taxpayers will ultimately save money, as the approved legislation will consolidate multiple leases currently in use for inadequate training facilities used separately by the police and fire departments.
This consolidation is expected to result in annual savings of $200,000 or a total of $6 million over the next 30 years.
The Atlanta Police Foundation, an independent nonprofit organization spearheading the project, will seek private funding through philanthropic and corporate donations to cover the remaining construction costs.
The envisioned training center includes the creation of a simulated city for trainees, a shooting range, and an emergency vehicle operations course—features that are unprecedented for both the police and fire rescue departments, according to the Atlanta Police Foundation.
The group contends that the new facility is crucial since current training facilities fail to meet the requirements of a major urban law enforcement agency, exacerbating issues of morale, recruitment, and retention.
The chosen site for the project is a parcel of land owned by the city in unincorporated DeKalb County, situated around Intrenchment Creek and the South River Forest Basin.
Known as the Old Atlanta Prison Farm, this land previously subjected prisoners to harsh working conditions. The Atlanta Police Foundation maintains that the project will not necessitate extensive tree removal, as the targeted land was cleared decades ago and currently lacks significant tree cover, primarily comprising invasive species.
Moreover, the foundation pledges to replace each hardwood tree destroyed during construction with 100 new ones, while preserving nearly 300 acres as green space, parkland, and trails.
The Atlanta City Council initially approved the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center in 2021 in response to demands for police reform during anti-police violence protests. However, vocal protesters remain steadfast in their opposition to the project, according to U.S. News.
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