Former Atlanta Police Sgt. Willie Adams, a supervisor of the unconstitutional raid on the Atlanta Eagle, won an appeal in court today in his attempt to get his job back with the APD.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kelly Lee ruled in Adams' favor in his attempt to get back on the Atlanta police force where he was a 20-year veteran before being fired in the midst of the Eagle raid scandal. His firing was upheld in 2011 by the city's Civil Service Board and then appealed to court.
In a work session today, the Atlanta City Council's Public Safety Committee dropped the proposed banishment ordinance targeting prostitutes and decided to instead form a task force to study the root causes of sex work.
Proposed by Atlanta Police Chief George Turner, the "banishment ordinance" could bar convicted prostitutes from “areas of prostitution,” or even from the entire city after a second prostitution conviction.
Twenty-three gay and lesbian officers shared their personal stories of coming out in an "It Gets Better" video as part of a global movement to help young people struggling with their sexuality and gender identity.
The video was shown for the first time to the public Wednesday at the Phillip Rush Center.
The video includes an introduction by Chief George Turner, who says he is an LGBT ally and honored to support the "It Gets Better" project.
"All teenagers go through an awkward phase but it can be especially daunting if you are someone who is unsure of your sexuality and where your life may be headed. As a police force we will stand up for you, no one deserves to be bullied for any reason," Turner says.