In a marathon 16-hour meeting, the Atlanta City Council has voted to allocate $31 million in public funds for the construction of a police and fire training facility known

as "Cop City." The decision was met with opposition from residents who felt that there was limited public input, conservationists concerned about the impact on forest land, and activists who believe it will contribute to the militarization of police forces and instances of police brutality.

Protests against the facility have been ongoing, and in January, an activist named Manuel Esteban Paez Terán was fatally shot by law enforcement as they cleared the site. The tension surrounding the project was evident during the council meeting, prompting a 15-minute recess to restore calm.

To ensure public safety, the city closed several City Hall offices and implemented temporary restrictions on certain items within the building. Despite the controversy, the council ultimately approved the funding, covering approximately one-third of the estimated $90 million construction costs. The remaining funding will come from the Atlanta Police Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting the Atlanta Police Department through philanthropic initiatives, private loans, and new market tax credits.

The approved resolution also includes a leaseback agreement between the city and the Atlanta Police Foundation, where $1.2 million will be paid over 30 years to cover operational expenses, maintenance costs, and the principal and interest of a $20 million loan.

Mayor Andre Dickens hailed the approval of public funding as a significant milestone, emphasizing that Atlanta aims to become a national model for police reform by implementing progressive training and curriculum at the new facility. Photo by Warren LeMay from Cincinnati, OH, United States, Wikimedia commons.