By: Donovan Harris
How would you describe the police officers patrolling your neighborhood? On Monday, Aug. 15, students from the Atlanta Public Schools gathered at the Atlanta City Hall to accept awards from the Atlanta Citizen Review Board (ACRB), an organization that promotes public confidence in law enforcement, in honor of projects created in response to the statement, “Police Officers Are _________”. The students produced original essays and works of art to express their personal ideas surrounding the completion of that statement.
First-place essay winner and Mays High School senior Makiya Jackson.
First- place essay winner and Benjamin E. Mays High School senior, Makiya Jackson, is an avid writer and poet. Moved by the recent events of police shootings and the “Black Lives Matter” movement, Jackson believes that both police and the community share equal responsibility in the relationship between law enforcement and the community.
Adriunna Purnell, a third-grader at Kimberly Elementary School and third runner-up in the art contest, draws a picture depicting the helpful police officers in her neighborhood.
Grace Clarke, second runner up and a Grady High School junior, writes about her community’s patrol aptly named “Midtown Blue” which she describes as a reliable and hardworking group.
“Midtown Blue acts as the eyes and ears of the Midtown community. Midtown Blue has three goals: reduce crime, ensure that people feel safe and secure, and to respond quickly to traffic and other incidents.” -Grace Clarke
In partnership with Greenbriar Mall, the Mall West End and the Atlanta Fulton County Public Library, winners of the ACRB “Police Officers Are_______” contest, received a proclamation from the Atlanta City Council to commemorate each student’s hard work and positive contributions to the relationship between the police and the community.
Contestants and families pictured in the Old Chambers at the Atlanta City Hall