DECATUR, Ga. — Nearly 200 people, including a variety of religious leaders and an Atlanta Police Department commander gathered in prayer and for a panel discussion on ways to build understanding between law enforcement and communities.
The event, called "Summit on Violence," took place Saturday morning at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Decatur.
Atlanta Police Homicide Commander Major Adam Lee III told the gathering that training and day-to-day involvement of police officers in the concerns of communities are key to reducing confrontation and building trust.
"I've been here 29 years. Watching law enforcement, there is a systematic problem that's going on with police and in communities like Chicago. We are guardians, not warriors. In Atlanta, we have something special. Historically, we have always embraced community policing. We started it when it wasn't known. You cannot be successful if you don't embrace your community," Lee said.
Lee discussed the ongoing violence connected with gangs. He said the police department implemented a gun reduction task force last summer to address gang-related shootings, and that one of the task force's findings was alarming. Many gunshot wounds on teens and young adults were self-inflicted.
"Many of the gunshot wounds were superficial. Some of these young men were shooting themselves for street cred. They considered it a badge of honor. They shot themselves and reported that someone else did it,” Lee said.
One panel member said the city of Atlanta still has far to go to reduce excessive force by police officers. He cited former Atlanta police officer James Burns, who was charged with murder after shooting an unarmed African American man in June.
"Let's just be honest. The nation is on fire. With smartphones, we now see ourselves, unarmed black, brown and low income individuals getting shot. Until the disparities in the justice system from police to judges are addressed, until there is equality and end of senseless over-policing, there will never be peace," said civil rights activist Marcus Coleman.
The organizer of the summit said faith and dialogue are instrumental to change, as is a reduction of violence.
"It is important that we, as a society, hold onto our faith as we forge our way to finding solutions," said the Rev. Roy A. Lee.
Rev. Lee said all participants in the summit will be encouraged to take the discussion back to their communities and share it on social media.