FORT VALLEY, Georgia — Police Chief Lawrence Spurgeon announced steps to action after protesters took to the streets in Fort Valley.
In a Monday Facebook post, Spurgeon said it is in response to the “Rally in the Valley” protest, which was part of a wave of protests across the country sparked by the deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery.
“These protests have sparked a national conversation on the issue of police reform and race,” Spurgeon wrote. “I have been part of those conversations both formal and informal with my fellow chiefs, sheriff’s, government officials and members of the faith community.”
He lists three actions he presented at a debriefing hosted by the Fort Valley Ministerial Alliance on Friday.
Spurgeon says it’s all to make sure “disparities we have seen around the country do not take place here in our community.”
The first thing listed is to raise the bar on no-knock warrants. Spurgeon writes that police must have probable cause that knocking and announcing their presence would be dangerous and could hinder the case’s investigation.
“At the heart of this proposal is the belief that if the police are going to violate the safety and sanctity of the home, they should be forced to provide ample justification for doing so,” Spurgeon said.
The post also suggests that the police department never conduct its own investigation if an officer uses force that causes major injuries or death. Instead, they will call on the GBI to investigate.
“It’s important that justice is fair, and that we give our community ample reason to trust our decisions,” Spurgeon said.
Lastly, Spurgeon proposed Fort Valley Police partner with researchers from universities, non-profits, and think tanks to analyze data to determine whether people of color are disproportionately stopped by police, searched, arrested or subjected to use of force.
“Data analysis of departments all over America for stops of black and white pedestrians and drivers has been analyzed by numerous organizations, and it is very clear that there are disparities,” Spurgeon said.
He says these are steps he felt could be taken immediately, without mandates from the state or federal governments.
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