Pre-Arrest Diversion Program funded in Atlanta

Last week the Atlanta City Council approved a $661.4 million budget for the 2019 fiscal year with $400,000 in general fund dollars earmarked for pre-arrest diversion-- a 60% increase in city funding from last year. The City's increased support will help PAD increase its capacity to field diversions by: Adding a second Care Navigation team, Expanding diversion hours, and Training more law enforcement officials in the PAD protocol. The City is not alone in its growing support for pre-arrest diversion. The Fulton County Board of Commissionershas approved the Justice Coordinating Committee's recommendation to allocate $100,000 to PAD this year through its Justice Reinvestment Initiative (JRI). Check out this video to learn more about JRI (PAD shout-out at 4:59!). As an Impact and Innovation grantee of the Open Society Foundations, program will receive technical support from Pathways to Housing D.C. to develop new partnerships that support a Housing First approach and identify public resources for housing and supportive services.

Press conference reveals policeman charged with attack on white female at his home; Chief Register says community should not be afraid of police

According to an ongoing police investigation, an off duty white officer,  Robert Lanier New, 46, slapped and strangled a 44-year old white woman, Tracie Marie Young, during sexual intercourse. In the criminal warrant filed in Cobb County Magistrate Court yesterday, the incident took place at New's home. The victim is described as being mentally delayed, having the mental capacity of a 10-14 year old as disclosed in a forensic interview. 

The warrant was made by Officer B. E. Moore for an incident which took place in March 2018.  New is charged with simple battery harm, aggravated assault, and strangulation and called the victim "bitch, cunt, and whore" in text messages. The accused made other statements through text messages, saying, "I am in charge, I am in control," the warrant alleges. New is being held in jail without bond.

Officer S. A. O'Hara, Public Information Officer (PIO), said the police released the information yesterday after a preliminary investigation, and the investigation is ongoing. O'Hara says the Cobb County Police Department has a myriad of social media platforms to communicate with the community as part of an effort to be transparent, but the community also learns about police misconduct when the media pulls warrants. 

"This is a proactive, primary briefing first, then we will follow-up after the investigation is completed," O'Hara informed me. This means that details on officer misconduct may not be known for months unless the media gets wind of it, therefore, the media must be working in concert with the police to keep the community safe. It also means that news is turning into entertainment fueled by police and the court system.

To view the full press conference of Chief Michael Register in this matter, subscribe to our news channel: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Wingcom+Watchdog.