Mayor Andre Dickens is proud to announce a significant step forward in government transparency and police accountability through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Atlanta Citizens Review Board (ACRB), the Atlanta Police Department (APD), and the Mayor’s Office.

This landmark agreement outlines a stronger, more transparent framework for collaboration between APD and the ACRB. It ensures that timely, essential data will be shared with the ACRB, particularly in cases involving Officer-Involved Shootings, Deaths in Custody, Serious Bodily Injury in Custody, and Firearm Discharges. The agreement empowers the ACRB to thoroughly review incidents and provide informed recommendations on officer conduct, policy improvements, and training enhancements.

"This agreement reflects our shared commitment to accountability, transparency, and lasting, systemic change," said Mayor Dickens. "Most importantly, it helps rebuild trust between the government and the people we serve.”

The MOU is the result of months of collaboration and dialogue between the ACRB Executive Director and Board, the APD Chief and command staff, and facilitation by the Mayor’s Chief Strategy Officer. All parties engaged in honest, solution-driven conversations to identify ways to improve data sharing, clarify expectations, and ensure that the ACRB has the tools it needs to effectively carry out its mission.

“This MOU is about more than process, it’s about purpose,” said APD Chief Darin Schierbaum. “We welcome the role of civilian oversight and look forward to continued partnership with the ACRB as we work together to strengthen public trust and ensure accountability.”

While the investigative process for serious use-of-force incidents will still require time and care, this agreement lays the groundwork for a more responsive and ethical system of police oversight in Atlanta.

“This MOU represents a meaningful step forward in ensuring of justice for victims of officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths, and their families,” said Samuel Reid, III, Executive Director, Atlanta Citizen Review Board. “It reflects the ACRB’s unwavering commitment to independent citizen oversight and to building public trust in law enforcement."

A summary of the MOU’s key provisions can be found here for reference.