Mayor Kasim Reed told members of the Atlanta Police LGBT Advisory Board the city would conduct a “global review” of more officers involved in the controversial Eagle raid who were found to have tampered with evidence but still remain on the force.
The advisory board met today with the mayor, the city's Chief Operating Officer Peter Aman, the mayor's spokespersons Sonji Jacobs and Reese McCranie as well as the Atlanta Police Department's LGBT liaisons Officers Pat Powell and Brian Sharp.
The meeting between the board and the mayor came about after the advisory board held a town hall forum on July 13 and many of the board members as well as those in attendance said they did not believe enough harsh punishment was handed down by Chief George Turner. The board will meet with Turner on Friday.
The LGBT Advisory group for the Atlanta Police Department will hold a meeting July 13 to discuss the investigations of the Eagle raid.
The city released the APD's Office of Professional Standards investigation into the botched raid late Tuesday and an independent investigation by prestigious law firm Greenberg Traurig was also released late Tuesday.'
You can read about some of the findings in the investigations here, including links to the full reports.
Overall, the reports clearly state police officers violated numerous procedures during the raid, including violating the patrons' Fourth Amendment rights. The investigations also found there to be specific instances of anti-gay discrimination during the raid of the gay bar.
The Atlanta Police Department LGBT Advisory Board will hold its next meeting on Jan. 10 at Atlanta City Hall’s City Council Committee Room 2 at 7 p.m.
Among the items on the agenda for the meeting include a review of the federal lawsuit settlement between the city and plaintiffs from the Atlanta Eagle stemming from the botched 2009 raid on the bar, an update on the status of the investigation into the shooting death of Black Gay Pride organizer Durand Robinson and an update on the status of DUI and road checks used in the city.
APD’s LGBT Liaison Officers Patricia Powell and Brian Sharp will address the board. Members of the Atlanta Citizen Review Board will also be on-hand to discuss how the ACRB and the LGBT Advisory Board can work together in the future.