Atlanta, GA - Leaders of the Georgia NAACP held a press conference Friday calling for a federal investigation by the United States Department of Justice regarding the Atlanta Police Department. This press conference comes days after charges were dropped against two officers for the killing of Rayshard Brooks in 2020.
“We convened this press conference to request that the Department of Justice open a patterns and practice investigation into the Atlanta Police Department. After hearing the attempts to justify the shooting of Rayshard Brooks, we need federal intervention because it continues to happen. Nygil Cullins is an example of that.” - President Gerald Griggs
State Treasurer and Atlanta Chapter President, Richard Rose was joined with the family of 22 year-old Nygil Cullins who was murdered earlier this year by Atlanta Police. Today, Cullins' case remains on a long list of investigations by APD that remain open, where prosecutors can dismiss the criminal actions of their officers, and lack of proper procedure has continuously resulted in their use of excessive violence. Rose stated, “We must restructure policing in America and it can start in Atlanta. I call politicians and police to stop living in the state of denial."
The Georgia NAACP has now identified 97 opened cases of racially-motivated attacks on African-Americans in Fulton County that have gone unjustified within the year. As African-Americans murdered by Atlanta police officers in recent years continue to increase, rest assured we will not skip a step in calling for the necessary measurers to restore justice and equality in our community.
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About The Georgia NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has had an unbroken presence in Georgia since 1917. The Georgia NAACP maintains a network of units throughout Georgia, from cities to small rural counties. The Georgia NAACP has been the most effective and consistent advocate for African American civil rights in Georgia. You can read more about the Georgia NAACP’s work and mission at georgianaacp.org.
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