By Olivia Janis
On March 21st, the students of Mr. Tuttle’s Debate Over Democracy class had the unique opportunity to hear from the Chief of the Atlanta Police Department, D. Schierbaum, about the role law enforcement plays in upholding democracy. Several other officers and Sgt Reese, Officer James, SPO Dimaso, and APF Joshua Chavez attended, though Schierbaum was the primary speaker.
Senior Ian Kreisler, who was in the Debate over Democracy last semester, mentioned to Mr.Tuttle he had a connection with someone in the Atlanta Police department, Mr. Joshua Chevez. They got in touch and Mr. Tuttle was able to organize this special event. “It was largely thanks to student activism,” said Mr. Tuttle. Mr. Tuttle wasn’t necessarily sure how Chief Schierbaum was going to discuss or present to the class, but he thinks “he really got the concept of this class was about both two things, democracy, and the government’s role and the role of the police and all that.”
As a veteran of the Debate Over Democracy class, I was able to sit in on the class, which was filled with open dialogue and thoughtful questions from students.
Schierbaum shared key insights into the challenges and responsibilities the Atlanta Police Department faces, particularly in a city known for its many protests and complex history. According to the Chief, the department monitors between 300 and 500 protests annually, a number that has increased following the Israel-Hamas war.
He explained that the department must always protect the constitutional rights of protesters, “you can’t judge the message of a protest,” Schierbaum stated, emphasizing that constitutional protections apply to everyone, regardless of their viewpoint. Oftentimes he said, protesters are protesting the police. However, protests can escalate quickly, with sometimes violent outcomes, so in those cases, the police have the right to break up the protest and make arrests.
Many of the questions were about how the department handles protests. Schierbaum pointed to an example from the past, which was a unique case because the perpetrators were not from Atlanta. The violent protest was led by an Antifa group, where they attacked police officers who were involved in the construction of a new police training center, often referred to as “Cop City.” The department’s response involved identifying those who were exercising their right to protest peacefully while separating them from those engaging in criminal activities. Because Atlanta has a lot of protests, the Police department tries to understand the groups protesting prior to the actual protest. They do this by researching the groups beforehand and engaging in dialogue with their leaders.
Sophomore Sydney McLeod asked how officers balance politics and their duties. Schierbaum explained that police officers are expected to remain apolitical while on duty but can express their political beliefs when off duty. This separation, he emphasized, is critical for maintaining impartiality and trust within the community.
Mr.Tuttle asked a follow-up question: “How do you control the elected officials to make sure they don’t abuse or overreach the police?” Chief Schierbaum explained how essential it is for the chief of police to say no to the elected official abusing their power, but how it is also the court’s job to hold the elected official accountable.
Another major point of discussion was the department’s approach to community engagement. Chief Schierbaum spoke about efforts to make police interactions more positive and constructive, particularly given Atlanta’s history. He acknowledges how most people who interact with the police are either having to report a traumatic event or are being arrested. Either way, these are both very negative experiences. So, the department holds community events like Q&A sessions and “Pancakes for Pride” so that different communities can engage with the police in a more positive light. Additionally, he explained how some folks still view the APD as the same people who once enforced Jim Crow laws, so officers train at the Center for Civil and Human Rights to ensure they understand the city’s history, particularly for recruits from outside Georgia.
The APD often must deal with all sorts of complex issues in the community. For example, Schierbaum said that they receive 19 calls a day having to do with mental health emergencies.
And what happens when there is misconduct? Schierbaum stressed the importance of “quality over quantity” in recruitment. He explained that out of around 5,000 applicants, only 70 make it through the application process. “Deputy chiefs are responsible for reporting bad conduct, and the majors enforce the rules,” he noted.
Body cameras and spot checks are also used to ensure transparency and accountability within the force. He recalled how the team spent 15 days with no breaks patrolling the streets during the BLM protests incited by the unjust death of George Floyd which was caught on bodycam footage. He acknowledged how misconduct from a police officer has the potential to ruin the trust the citizens have in the police.
He did point out early in the talk that out of the 7,500 calls the APD received last year, they only fired their guns 8 times.
Schierbaum also addressed questions on newer issues, such as the role of technology in surveillance. He explained how cameras in public spaces and facial recognition technology assist in investigating crimes such as drug deals and finding a specific person in a crowd of a protest, and even non-crime related issues like helping to find a lot of Alzheimer’s patients. But he stressed that the department takes care to avoid overstepping privacy rights. “We are mindful of the limitations of AI and facial recognition systems,” he said, acknowledging the potential for errors.
As the conversation came to a close, Schierbaum answered a range of other questions, including the increasing challenge of fentanyl distribution, the role of diversity in the recruitment process, and the importance of transparency in government.
Mr. Tuttle felt as though the conversation was perfectly timed with the information they had just discussed– the usage of violence in a democracy and Federalist paper 10. Mr.Tuttle really liked the takeaway that the police department is “a peacekeeping organization between factions in the United States that disagree.” Mr. Tuttle definitely thinks he will have the APD come back next year to speak.
Overall, the conversation offered a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Atlanta Police Department and how it strives to balance its law enforcement duties with democratic ideals.
Clearly, it’s not easy and takes a lot of intentional work, something the Debate Over Democracy students understand as they create their very own constitution. Sophomore Clay Walters asked Schierbaum what he thinks is most important to include. “The ability to criticize the government is essential,” he said. ”No one should have unlimited power.”
