Across our nation, communities are working to rethink policing. Do we need more training for officers?
Different training? Some cities have scaled back police budgets, but many are allocating more money in hopes of creating better officers.
Scripps News spoke with activists, environmentalists, law enforcement experts, journalists, and more to gain a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding the environment, social justice, and government transparency this center raises.The Atlanta Public Safety Training Center was publicly announced in 2021.
Dozens of acres are also set aside for trails and greenspace. The center is expected to cost at least $90 million, with taxpayers footing at least $31 million. This training center would be one of the largest and most advanced in the country, joining large-scale police training centers already open in New York, Texas, Illinois, and Washington State.
Del Carmen said public concern over a police training center is valid because of what these centers have been used for in the past, but he still feels this training is needed so officers can do their jobs safely. Taylor said that because so many agencies would come from around the region to train there, this center could be a vital resource to improve training, especially for smaller law enforcement agencies.
"We are opposed to it no matter where it is," said Franklin. He said he is worried there is no path forward to better policing using a training center like what is proposed in Atlanta. "The whole purpose of government is to look out for the least of its citizens," said Echols."This should not be happening here. The only reason it's happening here is because of the color of the community, and that's what's called environmental racism."
"There's so many questions that are unanswered," said Daniel Paez, the brother of Manuel Paez Teran."Manny, he's always had this huge drive to make the world a better place and actually do things rather than just talking about it." Police accountability and transparency are another big concern for journalists and activists alike, with the center being both publicly and privately funded.
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