The Atlanta Police LGBT Advisory Board sent a letter to Mayor Kasim Reed and Police Chief George Turner on Aug. 25 asking for answers to questions raised at its Monday meeting and as follow up to the private meetings the citizen board had with the mayor and chief last month.

The Monday meeting held at Outwrite became quite heated at times as those attending wondered why the board agreed to meet in closed door sessions with the mayor and police chief to discuss, among other things, the fallout of the Eagle raid in 2009. Questions were also raised about the police department following the mandates secured in the city's $1.025 million settlement with the Eagle plaintiffs.

A community town hall meeting is set for Sept. 28 at St. Mark United Methodist Church, but the gay-led Congregation Bet Haverim is asking the date be moved to October because Sept. 28 falls on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year.

The letter reads from the Atlanta Police LGBT Advisory Board reads:

Dear Mayor Reed and Chief Turner:

On behalf of the Atlanta Police Department LGBT Advisory Board members thank you again for sitting down with us for an open discussion of issues and concerns that are important to our community.

As a follow up to these meetings, we are requesting an update on these issues that were discussed.

1.    The city’s results from the thoroughly investigative review of these five officers in the Atlanta Eagle gay bar raid. The five police officers are Sgt. Kelly Collier, Officer Marlon Noble, Officer Dimitri Jaques, Officer Dion Meredith and Officer William Walters.  These officers were accused of lying or destroying evidence, and were only disciplined, and avoided being fired.

2.     The status of Atlanta Police Department complying with the Civil Action File No. 1:09-VC-3286-TCB The City of Atlanta – Atlanta Police Department – Exhibit A: Reforms of the Atlanta Police Department.

These specific items were discussed during the meeting.

- #2 Identification Requirements for APD Officers – officers in uniform must 
 wear a visible nametag

- #4 Documentation of Warrantless Seizures and
- #5 Documentation of ID Checks
These two require the officers to complete a written or electronic form 
before the end of his/her shift documenting the specific crime(s) and Id check

- #6 Training for all officers in 4th amendment 

- #7 Timely Resolution of Citizen Complaints – citizen complaints of police misconduct 
 of any kind to be completed within 180 days of the complaint.


We are looking forward to your attendance at the Community Town Hall meeting on Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 7:00pm-8:30pm at Saint Mark Church, hosted by the Advisory Board for you to answer questions and receive feedback from the community and to offer your personal thoughts and reflections on all that has happened related to the raid at the Atlanta Eagle bar and where we go from this point forward.

Sincerely,

Glen Paul Freedman
Chair
Atlanta Police Department LGBT Advisory Board
(404) 307-9631 cellular
(404) 489-1553 office direct
[email protected]

Atlanta Police Department LGBT Advisory Board Members:
Glen Paul Freedman              Terence McPhaul
Ebonee Bradford Barnes        Betty Couvertier
Tracy Elliott                             Tracee McDaniel
Josh Noblitt                             Philip Rafshoon
Molly Simmons

cc:  Peter Aman, COO, City of Atlanta
Cathy Hampton, City Attorney
Renee Propes, APD Deputy Chief
Erika Shields, APD Deputy Chief
Carlos Campos, APD Public Affairs Manager
SPO Patricia Powell, APD LGBT Liaison
PO Brian Sharp, APD LGBT Liaison
Sonji Jacobs, Communications Director, City of Atlanta
Reese McCranie, Deputy Communications Director, City of Atlanta