ATLANTA (NewsNation) — Despite its approval by the Atlanta City Council in June 2021, not everyone is on board with Atlanta’s Public Safety Traning Center, also known as “Cop City.”
The “Stop Cop City” Coalition wants Atlanta residents to have a voice on whether the multi-million dollar training center should be built.
With more than 30,000 signatures collected in a referendum petition drive, the group feels confident they will surpass the 70,000 signatures needed by August 19 to get it on the ballot. However, even if it’s successful, attorneys for the City of Atlanta insist the authorization was obtained in 2021 and cannot be devoted.
The city’s lawyers argue that the petition to stop the construction of the training center is “futile” and “invalid.
Protestors have fought on this issue for some time, including an incident in March when authorities said more than 100 people used the cover of a peaceful protest to attack officers and equipment at the site of the facility.
Atlanta currently pays $1.4 million to rent facilities for its public safety training center. Once the Atlanta Police Department makes a one-time payment of $31 million, it will then pay $1.2 million for the next 30 years. The remaining money for the project will come from a private loan and new market tax credits.
Other law enforcement agencies are adding similar training centers. Earlier this year, the City of Chicago opened a new $170 million public safety center that houses police and fire rescue.
Newark, New Jersey is set to spend nearly $50 million to build their facility, and Port St. Lucie, Florida and Corpus Christi, Texas will spend more than $20 million each for theirs.
The Atlanta Police Department told NewsNation that the 85 acres of land has been cleared and the project is underway.