On Wednesday night several Atlanta police officers called off after two police officers were charged in the death of Rayshard Brooks at a Wendy’s last weekend.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution confirmed the reports that several police called out.
Atlanta PD #blueflue I’ve heard conflicting reports on this, rumors on both sides, but the Atlanta Journal Constitution, ATL’s largest paper, confirmed it. The walkout is happening.https://t.co/uCXsnStezh
— Looming Meadows (@Looming_Meadows) June 18, 2020
From the Atlanta Journal Constitution:
“There are officers saying they are not going to leave the precinct unless to help another officer,” Vince Champion, Southeast regional director for the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “Some are walking off and sitting in their personal vehicles.”
And the Atlanta Police confirmed there was a “call out” tonight.
Earlier suggestions that multiple officers from each zone had walked off the job were inaccurate. The department is experiencing a higher than usual number of call outs with the incoming shift. We have enough resources to maintain operations & remain able to respond to incidents.
— Atlanta Police Department (@Atlanta_Police) June 18, 2020
Decaturish was first to confirm the reports of the police call out in Atlanta.
On Thursday morning only one officer showed up to work in Zone 6.
The zone typically has dozens of officers.
The police officers understand the mayor and city officials do not support them.
Stripes.com reported:
Atlanta police officers called out sick or refused to answer calls Thursday to protest the filing of murder charges against an officer who shot a man in the back, while the interim chief said members of the force feel abandoned amid protests demanding massive changes to policing.
Interim Chief Rodney Bryant said the sick calls began Wednesday night and continued Thursday, but said the department has sufficient staff to protect the city. It’s not clear how many officers have called out.
“Some are angry. Some are fearful. Some are confused on what we do in this space. Some may feel abandoned,” Bryant said of the officers. “But we are there to assure them that we will continue to move forward and get through this.”
Prosecutors brought felony murder and other charges against Garrett Rolfe, a white officer who shot Rayshard Brooks after the 27-year-old black man grabbed a Taser and ran, firing it at the officer, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said…
… Bryant said he was surprised at how quickly Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard reached the decision to charge the officers, noting that the Georgia Bureau of Investigation hadn’t yet had time to finish looking into the shooting.
He would not say how many officers called out, but just one officer showed up for work Thursday morning in Zone 6, which covers much of Atlanta’s east side and which several dozen are assigned to patrol, said Vince Champion, southeast regional director for the International Brotherhood of Police Officers.
Atlanta officers are walking off their shifts or not responding to calls because they feel “abandoned, betrayed, used in a political game,” Champion told the AP.
“What they realized is that the city, meaning the mayor and the police department, does not support them,” Champion said.
Champion said he’s heard from several officers that they fear using force to protect themselves will get them fired or arrested.
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