South Fulton touts crime drop, announces municipal court amnesty week and calls for moratorium on asset forfeiture
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Summary
Officials credited investments in policing and fire services for a 26% reduction in part I crimes, announced a municipal court amnesty week in July for city tickets, and Mayor Kobe said he will ask the council to place a moratorium on asset forfeiture until backlog and due-process issues are addressed.
City officials described public-safety investments and court initiatives during the city’s anniversary remarks, citing a reported fall in major crimes and announcing a municipal court amnesty week and a proposed moratorium on asset forfeiture.
City Manager Sharon Soubadan said the City of South Fulton had “a 26% reduction in part 1 crimes” and that the police department expanded capabilities with new technology in a real-time crime center. She also said the fire department had added transport-capable EMS units and been supplied with new apparatus.
Mayor Kobe described municipal court programs and announced that “this July, we will be hosting an amnesty week, not a day, a week, allowing individuals with outstanding tickets and warrants to resolve their issues without added penalties, including waiving all failure to appear and recall warrants.” He clarified this amnesty applies to City of South Fulton municipal court tickets only and not to Fulton County cases.
On asset forfeiture, Mayor Kobe said the city has seized over $1,000,000 in cash and property since 2019 and proposed action: “So I'll be asking our council in our city to place a moratorium a moratorium on this policy of confiscating people's property until Fulton County can clear the 5 year backlog of our cases, and we have a system and procedures in place to hold people's property until they have exercised their full due process under the law and had a bridal [trial], and return or make reparations for lost property and the earnings from that property of innocent individuals.”
Why it matters: amnesty weeks, court diversion programs and changes to forfeiture practice affect residents’ ability to clear fines and retain property; investments in policing and EMS affect emergency response and crime prevention.
Decisions vs. discussion: The amnesty week was announced as an upcoming city court program (action by municipal court administration). The moratorium on asset forfeiture was presented as a request Mayor Kobe will bring to council, not a council-adopted policy at the event. The city manager reported crime statistics and equipment acquisitions as implemented actions by city departments.
Ending: Officials asked residents to use city channels to learn eligibility for amnesty week and said the mayor will introduce a moratorium proposal to the council for consideration.
