Our Voice is Our Strength

Our Voice is Our Strength
By Executive Director Lee Reid

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." – Martin Luther King Jr.

During this month of celebration of the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., his quote serves as a reminder that our voice is our strength. Our voice is our life force. Because we have power in our voices, there are many sources that want to convince us to remain silent, to accept defeat, to go quietly into the night and let our lives be grinded into nonexistence.

Across the country, we are witnessing the turning back of the progress that had been made after George Floyd. There are movements to make it more difficult to record officers in action and charging high fees for access to body cam footages. These movements are about keeping citizens silent to the actions of their community law enforcement officers.

The actions of our law enforcement officers are one of those “things that matter.” It is a thing that we cannot afford to be silent about. When you experience or witness bad police behavior or actions, it is not a time for silence. The Atlanta Citizen Review Board is here for you to express your concern about police actions, ask your questions about police actions, or file your complaint against an officer for an action. The ACRB is about amplifying your voices so that where changes and corrections need to be made in an officer’s behavior or actions, they are made. The ACRB is about affirming two of life’s most precious needs – respect and dignity.

If you ever have a question, concern, or complaint against an Atlanta police or corrections officer, please contact the Atlanta Citizen Review Board at 4040-865-8622 or file a complaint at https://acrbgov.org/file-a-complaint/. Our process focuses on fairness, thoroughness, and transparency.