[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6170039,"mediaKeyId","5398916-e109601fb3378ad5baede55291210845","parentId",5398916,"title","City law department reports lower outside-counsel use; council hears concerns about administrative-review board and code-enforcement liens","audioSeconds",2068,"startMs",4730000,"endMs",6798000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5398916-e109601fb3378ad5baede55291210845&start=4730&end=6798","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5398916-e109601fb3378ad5baede55291210845/thumbnail_4730000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6170039/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/City-law-department-reports-lower-outside-counsel-use-council-hears-concerns-about-administrative-review-board-and-code-enforcement-liens","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6170039-046b3f4b9cd7035cd99abf70f856bec2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771119724&Signature=HibrqBP-vgGrvaXvAKWaJ0CUdA6iejyay~prbmTbkKPtEGpwoIQ9JYvxDW93UU25mU604qlB7UlRXqpWf2bHvbVeuuieIGJU4ux~kONrli-2jNmhTraEz9JzM8rM063OKBp-7o4yItN~6S6RDeJ7jzNufUweqWh~3MuKDhF0qhYMscoaWBQsyQ46S20~guqLrZE7MnzvXFiP6BxyfoEbUdoS5oFnwkjC6aL3vHNTzg8l56yksmLCpbw6kW6Wg06N6csrq3OPnKvN-SBh7iii8TjWM3tLWItX9xvQPvXIiv9Kt3TaA-xTlwB7yffh2a1XYTG-Z9rxhkUhEvnRqv6oYA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-14T19:33:39Z","article","City Attorney Patrice Perkins and senior deputies briefed the committee on the Department of Law’s third-quarter activities on July 14, reporting a decrease in outside-counsel reliance, a steady claims workload and an accounting of recent settlements that the committee approved on the consent agenda. Council members pressed staff about code-enforcement processes, the status of the administrative interim review board and the legal effect of recent court rulings.

Perkins said the department had shifted more cases in-house and that, as of the report period, roughly half of open litigation matters were being handled by city attorneys rather than outside counsel. “Of the 3 hun 287 cases that we had open as of that period in time, a 151 of them were being handled in house,” she said, and added that the department closed and settled multiple litigation matters during the period.

The committee approved several settlement resolutions on the consent agenda that Perkins’ staff had presented. The items recorded in the meeting packet included settlements for civil cases with amounts charged to city accounts as follows: Eunji Lee — $80,351.67; Lavonda Thompson and Delvin Bayard — $125,000.00; Nashan Tarik — $130,000.00; Dominic Bridges — $14,000.00; Susan Solomon — $20,000.00; Tara Johnson and Tamisha Sanders — $50,000.00; and Progressive Premier Insurance Company (subrogation of Melina Hicks) — $2,618.95.

Perkins and deputies also described administrative and collection work: the department collected $64,568.54 in lien and tax-related recoveries during the quarter and handled hundreds of incoming claims. Perkins said the department was prioritizing in-house work where feasible because outside counsel remains expensive: “This increase of 9% [in outside-counsel spending] is a result of all of the increased unforeseen litigation that occurred during last summer to this May,” she said.

A separate portion of the meeting focused on code-enforcement remedies and the administrative interim review board. Perkins explained that a Georgia Court of Appeals decision — cited as Flat Rock Falls LLC v. Labatt — limited the legal priority and collectability of some administrative liens created under the prior “administrative” process. As a result, the law department and municipal court have shifted many blight and demolition-lien cases into judicial proceedings to create a stronger legal path for collection and enforcement.

Daphne Talley of Code Enforcement told the committee the administrative interim review board has nine appointed members but has not convened recently because staff have focused on a set of judicial filings. Several council members said some board appointees were surprised to learn the board’s workload had been curtailed and urged staff to either reconvene the board on a quarterly basis or to formally dissolve it if it would not be used.

Council Member Mary Norwood asked whether a property’s homestead exemption status could be used as a factor in enforcement and lien decisions; law department staff said they would investigate whether that legal distinction could be used as part of a reasonable, defensible approach. Perkins said the office had worked with municipal court and code enforcement to begin judicial filings and that more cases would be filed in the coming days.

Why it matters: The shift from administrative to judicial procedures reflects a legal response to a Court of Appeals ruling, affects how the city pursues liens and demolitions and prompted concerns about board member notification and involvement.

What’s next: Law staff said they would provide council members further briefings on the effect of recent case law, review options to protect homeowners with homestead exemptions and follow up on the administrative board’s status and communications with appointees.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","#Atlanta City Council PSLA Committee meeting: July 14, 2025 #atlpol","oneSentenceSummary","City attorneys said more litigation is being handled in-house and provided settlement and revenue figures; council members raised concerns about the administrative interim review board for code enforcement after procedural shifts following a court ruling.","taxTitle","Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia","taxId",2959,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6170043,"Atlanta corrections director reports rising detainee population, partnerships and e-bonding progress",893,2400000,3293000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5398916-e109601fb3378ad5baede55291210845&start=2400&end=3293","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5398916-e109601fb3378ad5baede55291210845/thumbnail_2400000.jpg","/articles/6170043/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Atlanta-corrections-director-reports-rising-detainee-population-partnerships-and-e-bonding-progress","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6170043-282195f6cd060e75becf7ea3660afc24/orig.mp4?Expires=1771119724&Signature=X4S4DZyogRz8aSDgDGOO2cjmIcBsXSkOltfiW53mjEmw16wuwMAuVyM-2kegtk8bu-qiCk8IS4iGDo7f7lEFo4y9KNk0jhq0uC-hzOmoXBffpz7FjVZYAvtHkFIvdZQssIQiWLQ~jdecFYOW7r05WuCQfjcGVapeSAB6JfMy-IvyZOXaqo2u69KFkBHGdV3fzZ~0tnrTedD5QtY5Psuj584kfaKwX~Gc4WlXAzlnsizzq5gGQRxWRG49U~1Ss2VFO65MeXZvCXtwVXUg0xNUeh9TAOW655L7uceHtm-IqhrBPBRnCoxhy~XBzwH1IzzfCdNp4qbmcoFv0D4VMlw3rw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Atlanta Department of Corrections Interim Chief Elder Dancy presented the department’s fiscal 2025 third-quarter report on July 14, highlighting community partnerships, training, expanded electronic services and a rise in average detainee counts compared with prior fiscal years.

Dancy said the department has worked closely with Emory forensic psychiatric fellows in collaboration with Grady Hospital, noting that Emory clinicians saw 139 detainees during the quarter. He described partnerships that provided transportation and reentry support, and he credited “Someone Cares Atlanta” and the mayor’s office for emergency-warming-center food deliveries; DOC provided more than 37,000 meals during a warming-center activation and about 2,000 sandwiches at a gateway site, he said.

The report showed an increase in average daily population figures for ACDC across successive fiscal years. Dancy said the average daily population was 43 in fiscal 2023, 76 in fiscal 2024 and 111 in the fiscal 2025 third quarter. He attributed part of the increase to recent state changes affecting bail and release processes and said the department’s eBonding platform — launched Jan. 21 — had processed 896 bonds during the quarter.

On payments, Dancy said the department’s Encore online payment portal saw higher electronic transactions: “In FY ’24, Encore numbers…a little over 475,000 with payment of 73%. And then ’25, our Encore online numbers, are a little over 721,000 at 80%,” he reported, adding cash receipts were correspondingly smaller. The department said the shift toward online payments reduces handling and deposit work.

Dancy also listed staffing and training numbers: sworn staff totals for the quarter ranged roughly from 151 sworn/65 civilian in January to 145 sworn/65 civilian in March; DOC promoted CDL training in partnership with APD and Department of Public Works to certify officers to operate transport buses.

Intergovernmental agreement with Fulton County: Dancy said the city has allocated up to 700 beds under the IGA and that Fulton County’s detainee numbers at ACDC generally averaged in the low-to-mid 400s; the county handles security, food service and medical for its detainees under the agreement. “We meet with them at least once every other week,” Dancy said.

Council members pressed for context. Council Member Antonio Lewis asked whether the higher average age of detainees (around 35–36) was unusual; Dancy said that age distribution is common nationally and often reflects recidivism patterns. Members also discussed capacity pressures at the Rice Street jail in Fulton County after the county sued its commissioners; Dancy said the city has not seen significant operational impacts at ACDC but will continue to monitor staffing and bed use with Fulton County leadership.

Why it matters: The report illustrates operational changes in detention operations, growing reliance on electronic payments and bonding, and continued coordination with Fulton County and community providers to manage detainee care and reentry.

What’s next: Council requested continued monitoring of Fulton County bed usage and staffing impacts and asked DOC for follow-ups on staffing and training initiatives.","The Department of Corrections reported partnerships with Emory/Grady, a higher average daily detainee population and progress on online payments and e-bonding; chief said Fulton County intergovernmental agreement remains in place and offered capacity details.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6170048,"Atlanta Citizens Review Board and APD finalize MOU changes to tighten notifications and training access",1495,7042000,8537000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5398916-e109601fb3378ad5baede55291210845&start=7042&end=8537","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5398916-e109601fb3378ad5baede55291210845/thumbnail_7042000.jpg","/articles/6170048/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Atlanta-Citizens-Review-Board-and-APD-finalize-MOU-changes-to-tighten-notifications-and-training-access","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6170048-3b078e39ea24f8f10ef2880e4a038148/orig.mp4?Expires=1771119724&Signature=EejdxgCLEnbgrJAs6MDBWQrTX1qX08bckFLeGZTRQwYaImV8iOiAzylBrCcS2~VEYgPOAqFR0QMk-jrS4EU7DHfjPKTojcpo0ZaZXShVJWELCFgvcL19MDgKl9jJzioc4QMzpWiFsWElSMxTpwg45zWt9~8gWIB-7ZEABoU-3UiHq91IbmDvXA4vh95vKBWuLxkPm13mkze2F~zkP5HmpLgiG42EzT46ZvYf4hs1dSBUg3TCzTwmMlQUzIPMIfOxkIcmXerzDN4QA7q-k-DTy2ieEAqYXr5kodw2CPLfgEKtg7TYfPMUd0uQaO5vlCMMZ0qfwyiAb95i0FpixRWO8A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Atlanta Citizens Review Board (ACRB) and the Atlanta Police Department presented a revised memorandum of understanding to the Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee on July 14 that tightens notification timelines, expands the category of incidents the board may review and calls for training and Standard Operating Procedure integration.

Lee Reid, executive director of the Atlanta Citizens Review Board, described the document as “a living document” developed over several months with input from the board, the mayor’s strategic team and APD. Reid said the MOU now explicitly covers shootings, deaths in custody, “serious bodily injury in custody” and firearm discharges.

The revised service-level commitments reduce APD’s notification time to the ACRB from 48 hours to 24 hours and require APD to provide “a written explanation” when discipline imposed by the department is greater or lesser than the ACRB’s recommendation. The MOU also calls for ACRB members to participate in the Citizen Police Academy as part of orientation and for APD to incorporate the MOU into relevant SOPs and training.

“We believe that it should not be an issue,” Reid said of the 24-hour notification standard, and he recommended implementation meetings to align stakeholders and integrate the MOU into existing APD procedures. ACRB secretary Adrienne Proler said the document “was not created in a small closed meeting. It’s a result of a lot of hard work” and credited the mayor’s office staff for assistance.

Council members asked clarifying questions about scope, timelines and issue-resolution steps. Council Member Isha Collins asked for clearer wording on how “serious bodily injury” cases would be handled when a signed complaint is not present; Reid said the MOU was designed to allow ACRB to initiate review when serious injury occurs even without a citizen-filed complaint, and to clarify which matters remain under ordinary complaint processes.

Council Member Antonio Lewis asked whether the MOU would prevent mismatches between information provided to the public and records disclosed through open-records requests; Reid said that is the MOU’s intent and that implementation and follow-through would be necessary to prevent future discrepancies.

No formal council vote on the MOU occurred at the committee meeting. Reid said the board had secured necessary feedback and was prepared to proceed: “We are ready to move forward now,” he said. Committee Chair Andrea Boone asked Reid to circulate the MOU to all council members for further review and any suggested changes.

Why it matters: The MOU revisions raise the speed and transparency of civilian oversight for the city’s most serious use-of-force incidents, create a clearer pathway for joint training and make the review process more consistent with APD procedures.

What’s next: ACRB leadership will circulate the revised MOU to council members for comment and implementation meetings are planned to align APD SOPs and training with the MOU’s requirements.","An updated memorandum of understanding narrows notification windows to 24 hours, adds serious bodily injury and firearm discharges to ACRB review, and calls for joint implementation and training integration into APD SOPs.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6170053,"Public speakers press Atlanta officials to fire officer Melvin Potter; council asks for investigation updates and staffing data",507,325000,832000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5398916-e109601fb3378ad5baede55291210845&start=325&end=832","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5398916-e109601fb3378ad5baede55291210845/thumbnail_325000.jpg","/articles/6170053/Atlanta/Fulton-County/Georgia/Public-speakers-press-Atlanta-officials-to-fire-officer-Melvin-Potter-council-asks-for-investigation-updates-and-staffing-data","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6170053-ff22140797a23f6ef07a6f4dd1012f80/orig.mp4?Expires=1771119724&Signature=Jq4MIg7D5e2ZniCjdFbuQ29LG9Pwq37FX5~LIJ-2UYDnUxWPxdneroVaDQyitkZpt24A~yR6k0zQVTNgQJhvW0SB2Lak8HhGJhW83NJBltkRBz2xDcxdnkIm84GNyvijBa8QswRDqBO4X17dzHWEcJ~i0EXX5D9yc7lunyap81bMu2uNtDTvC3BCkurIhbgX50lwABgdH~u3FusiIL4ON0z84XqOUflvGxB9rTLtiOeRGk91ED0ofdpe3wso9ufxFPTCVBQH2LbEl0J7fHaDbxaiDHRxGrCiSoZvopswtIOAn38cR7JoxdPNqLk29cWBRAJ-SomElI692TVIolylwA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Relatives of people killed or injured in police-involved incidents and criminal-justice advocates used the Public Safety and Legal Administration Committee’s July 14 public-comment period to press Atlanta officials to fire Atlanta Police Department Officer Melvin Potter and to press for quicker discipline and more transparency. The committee’s law department and several council members said they would request updates from investigative agencies and provide requested staffing data.

The appeals came from several speakers who identified themselves and their roles. Ayanna Lofton introduced herself as “the wife of Keith Lofton, who was injured in a police involved shooting back in July 07/25/2021,” and said she has been meeting with APD and the Atlanta Citizens Review Board. “APD have been responding back. We have been in meetings with APD, so things are moving forward,” Lofton said.

Devin Barrington Ward of the National Police Accountability Project described witness accounts from a Coweta County deputy who pulled over Potter in 2021 and alleged Potter was driving drunk with a service weapon, resisted a blood draw and relied on his badge to avoid arrest. “Why are y’all protecting him?” Ward asked. “He used it…to try and skirt accountability.”

Several public speakers asked why Potter remained employed while investigations and criminal charges progressed. Chasity Avery said she could not “understand why he still has a job,” and that continued pay for Potter amounted to “a slap in the face.” Belle Anderson told the committee she wanted “a thorough investigation” and asserted that firing and criminal charges are distinct steps.

Amber A. Robinson, an assistant city attorney, told the committee she had no new update from the law department at the moment but would “inquire with the Atlanta Police Department to determine whether or not there has been an update to this matter.” Robinson also said she understood that a final charging decision rested with the Fulton County district attorney, Fani Willis: “The last update that I’m aware of is that the matter was still being investigated, and that final disposition, concerning whether or not to bring charges had not been made by the district attorney, Fani Willis, at this time.”

Council Member Isha Collins said she had identified a Fulton County contact and had spoken with APD leadership about training and investigation follow-up. “We can talk to chief Sherbaum,” Collins said, and indicated the committee could “look deeper” into training and possible discipline processes. Collins and other council members asked staff to provide a deeper briefing on discipline procedures and training in a later session.

Deputy Chief Kelly Collier of APD presented the department’s crime statistics earlier in the meeting and answered members’ questions about officer distribution. Council Member Antonio Lewis and others pressed Collier for counts of officers assigned to specific zones on two dates — Dec. 31, 2024 and May 16, 2025 — so the committee can compare staffing with reported crime changes. Collier said he did not have the counts during the meeting but committed to providing them by the next committee meeting.

Discussion versus action: The session recorded no formal disciplinary action or termination related to Officer Potter. Multiple speakers urged immediate firing; legal and police staff described investigations in progress and committed to follow-up inquiries. Robinson and Collins described constraints on what city staff can disclose and on criminal charging decisions, which the district attorney controls.

Why it matters: The public comments and follow-up questions underscore continuing public concern about APD accountability, the pace of investigations, and how alleged officer misconduct affects community trust. Council members requested specific staffing and disciplinary information to evaluate patterns in crime and deployment and to inform future oversight work.

What’s next: Law department staff agreed to inquire with APD and Fulton County contacts about investigation status. Council members requested a deeper briefing on APD training and discipline processes at a future committee meeting.","Relatives, advocates and community members urged the council to remove APD Officer Melvin Potter and demanded transparency on investigations; council members pressed police and law department staff for updates and counts of officers on specific dates.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

City law department reports lower outside-counsel use; council hears concerns about administrative-review board and code-enforcement liens

Atlanta corrections director reports rising detainee population, partnerships and e-bonding progress

Atlanta Citizens Review Board and APD finalize MOU changes to tighten notifications and training access

Public speakers press Atlanta officials to fire officer Melvin Potter; council asks for investigation updates and staffing data