More than 35K signatures collected to get ‘Cop City’ on Atlanta ballot

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) – On Tuesday, organizers said more than 35,000 signatures have been collected towards the effort to get the issue of the public safety training center known as “Cop City” on an upcoming ballot.

Organizers with Vote to Stop Cop City Coalition would not give a specific total but said they’re well over 35,000 towards their goal of 70,000 signatures.

In June, opponents of the proposed training center said they need to gather the signatures of 15% of the approximately 469,000 city residents who were registered to vote in the last election, which would be 70,330 signatures.

Atlanta News First walked along with a crew gathering signatures on Tuesday.

“You mind if I ask you a couple of questions? You heard about Cop City,” said Carlton, with the Black Male Initiative.

Carlton was among dozens of canvassers walking the streets of Atlanta asking voters to sign on to the effort to add the issue of “Cop City” on to an upcoming ballot.

From what Atlanta First Crews witnessed, most encounters were quick. Some people Carlton approached were fast to ask questions and dig into the issue of policing in the city.

“That’s not going to bring the crime rate down. That’s not going to help us in the community,” he said to one Castleberry Hill barber asking about the level of taxpayer investment into the project.

Atlanta police and fire officials have stressed the need for a new facility to replace their current aging training centers.

In June, the Atlanta City Council approved roughly $67 million in public funding for the proposed project.

On Thursday, a federal judge ruled in favor of DeKalb County residents who were seeking to collect signatures for a referendum on the controversial Atlanta Public Safety Training Center. The judge also allowed for the signature-gathering window to be extended.

On Monday, city attorneys appealed that ruling.

According to a June community task force meeting, construction is set to start on the east side of the training center on August 29.

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