GBI Takes Over Officer-Involved Shooting Cases in city of Atlanta
ATLANTA - The Georgia Bureau of Investigation will now handle all officer-involved shooting investigations in the City of Atlanta.
The state agency already handles cases in other jurisdictions around the state, but officials with the Atlanta Police Department and the GBI made the partnership announcement Tuesday morning.
They hope the joint venture maintains community trust, helps with transparency and assures the public that cases will be handled fairly. GBI director Vernon Keenan said the agency will continue to be "fact-finders." He also said Governor Nathan Deal has requested an additional 20 agents in his budget to handle such cases, with five of those being assigned to the City of Atlanta.
Atlanta Police Chief George Turner said the city had nine officer-involved shootings in 2015. But most of the cases are clear and the remaining ones have been turned over to the District Attorney's Office, Turner added. He also said the intense climate and unrest surrounding officer-involved shootings across the country played a role in the decision to turn over APD's cases to the GBI.