The DeKalb County Commission has approved a policy statement establishing guiding pillars for equitable policing in the county.
At the commission’s meeting on Jan. 13, it approved the statement, which affirms the department’s commitment to treating all residents equitably. The statement establishes guiding pillars for this equitable treatment, including equal service and constitutional policing, inclusive and broad-based community engagement, and operational integrity, safety, and sustainability.
“To ensure trust, accountability, and effectiveness in policing while maintaining operational integrity, the Governing Authority establishes the following guiding pillars to inform community engagement and public-safety practices countywide,” the policy statement says.
The policy statement was approved in lieu of a resolution establishing a LGBTQ+ police liaison. The police department and county staff will come before the Employee Relations and Public Safety Committee in July to outline how they will implement the pillars detailed in the statement, according to Decaturish.
Commissioner Ted Terry, who introduced the resolution championing the need for an LGBTQ+ police liaison in August, was supportive of the policy statement, saying it establishes a “vision” for the county’s policing and leaves it up to the police department on how to strategically implement this vision.
Advocates with the DeKalb County LGBTQ+ Caucus spoke during the Jan. 13 meeting in support of an effort to create a Community Advisory Panel for the county to include representation from the LGBTQ+ community. Speakers included Steve Parker, the President of the Caucus, Karen Davenport, Third Vice Chair of the DeKalb County Democratic Committee, and Caroline Ahmann, the Chair of DeKalb Democrats Decatur Community.
“When we show up, we make our presence known to the public and to the Commissioners,” Parker said in a emailed statement. “We have established lines of communication with three of the Commissioners and will cultivate those relationships and continue to use our voice on local LGBTQ+ issues in DeKalb County.”
Chamblee Police Department appointed an LGBTQ+ liaison in August 2025. Both Atlanta and South Fulton’s police department also have LGBTQ+ liaisons.
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