'Higher than usual number' of Atlanta officers call out of work
Atlanta: The Atlanta Police Department on Thursday said it is able to respond to 911 calls for those in need, as the police officer charged in the death of an unarmed black man turned himself in to authorities.
The social media announcement came hours after the department said many officers failed to show up for work.
An Atlanta Police Department vehicle burns during a demonstration against police violence on May 29. Credit:AP
A "higher than usual" number of Atlanta police officers didn't go to work Wednesday night, hours after the Fulton County district attorney announced criminal charges for two officers accused in the death of Rayshard Brooks.
"The department is experiencing a higher than usual number of call outs with the incoming shift," Atlanta police posted on social media. "We have enough resources to maintain operations and remain able to respond to incidents."
Rolfe turns himself in
The former Atlanta police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of Brooks turned himself into authorities on Thursday afternoon, in keeping with an arrangement with prosecutors, according to county jail records.
Garrett Rolfe, a white officer charged on Wednesday in the killing, was being held at the Fulton County jail. He was fired by the department on Saturday, a day after the shooting in a Wendy's parking lot in south Atlanta.
Fired and charged: Atlanta Police Officer Garrett Rolfe.Credit:AP
In announcing the charges on Wednesday, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said he had recommended no bond for Rolfe, who shot Brooks twice in the back with his service handgun after a scuffle. Rolfe was charged with felony murder and 10 other counts.
A second officer on the scene, Devin Brosnan, did not discharge his weapon. He faces a handful of lesser charges, including aggravated assault and violation of his oath.
Brosnan turned himself in at the Fulton County Jail earlier on Thursday and was released on bond, according to his lawyer.
On Wednesday, DA Paul Howard announced charges for the two officers.
Walking off
Neither Atlanta police nor a local union representative confirmed the number of officers involved in not showing up for duty.
Vince Champion, Southeast regional director for the International Brotherhood of Police Officers, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he could not confirm which police zones were affected.
"There are officers walking off," Champion said Wednesday evening.
"There are officers saying they are not going to leave the precinct unless to help another officer. Some are walking off and sitting in their personal vehicles."
Champion said he has been told the Atlanta Police Department was attempting to get back-up support from adjacent law enforcement agencies. But he said some agencies declined to help.
"Why would you put your officer in Fulton County and take the chance of this happening?" Champion said.
"You have an officer who just heard what Paul Howard said, saying he's going to be in prison for the rest of his life or put to death, and now he's got to surrender."
Atlanta police declined to say whether the agency requested assistance from other agencies.
In an interview Wednesday night on CNN, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said morale among officers is down with the city's Police Department.
"Across the country, morale is down with police departments, and I think ours is down tenfold," she said.
TNS