亚特兰大市市长凯莎·兰斯·巴茨称，亚特兰大警察局长埃里卡·希尔兹已经辞职。
希尔兹自2016年12月以来一直担任此职。希尔兹将继续在国防部工作，角色待定。
“很明显，过去几周在亚特兰大，我们的警察队伍中充满了男人和女人，他们带着尊重和尊严与我们的社区并肩工作，”巴茨在一份声明中说。“这与我们的期望有所脱节，而且应该如此，因为这关系到与我们的官员以及他们受托保护的社区的互动。”
“埃里卡·希尔兹酋长已经成为美国残疾人协会的一名忠实成员20多年了，她对亚特兰大人民有着深厚而持久的爱，”她继续说道。“因为她希望亚特兰大成为全国有意义的改革的典范，希尔兹局长主动提出立即辞去警察局长一职，让这个城市能够紧急向前发展，重建我们社区亟需的信任。”
前助理警察局长罗德尼·布莱恩特将担任临时警察局长，该市将立即在全国范围内寻找新的领导来修复社区内部的信任。
就在几个小时前，一个名叫瑞夏德·布鲁克斯的人被警察射杀在一家温迪汽车餐厅，警察说他在逃离执法部门时用泰瑟枪指着一名警察。
“我坚信你能做什么和你应该做什么之间有着明显的区别，”巴茨在一次关于该官员行为的新闻发布会上说。“我不认为这是正当使用致命武力，并呼吁立即解雇该官员。”
在这张2020年5月30日的照片中，亚特兰大市长凯莎·兰斯·巴茨宣布晚上9点宵禁，抗议乔治·弗洛伊德的死亡。
在这张2020年5月30日的照片中，亚特兰大市长凯莎·兰斯·巴茨宣布晚上9点宵禁，抗议乔治·弗洛伊德的死亡。本·格雷/亚特兰大日报-宪法通过美联社，档案
希尔兹还呼吁立即终止这名官员的职务，并表示另一名涉案官员已被安排担任行政职务。
希尔兹在辞职后发表的声明中说:“二十多年来，我一直和亚特兰大警察局一些最优秀的男女一起工作。”。“出于对这座城市和这个部门深厚而持久的爱，我提出辞去警察局长一职。APD得到了我的全力支持，而巴茨市长也得到我对这个部门未来方向的支持。我对市长有信心，现在是该市向前迈进，在执法部门和他们所服务的社区之间建立信任的时候了。”
巴兹向布鲁克斯的家人表示哀悼。
市长说:“没有任何语言能够表达我对你的损失有多真诚的歉意。”。“我真的希望你们能从今天采取的快速行动中找到些许安慰，也希望我们的城市能够为全国无数献出生命的男男女女实施有意义的改革。”
2019年3月21日，星期四，亚特兰大警察局长埃里卡·希尔兹在新闻发布会上发言。
2019年3月21日，星期四，亚特兰大警察局长埃里卡·希尔兹在新闻发布会上发言。鲍勃·安德烈斯/亚特兰大日报-宪法通过美联社
布鲁克斯遇刺后，周六要求改变部门高层的呼声越来越高。
“亚特兰大警察局继续恐吓抗议者，谋杀手无寸铁的黑人尸体，”全国有色人种协进会在一份声明中说。“现在是新领导层和警务文化变革的时候了。支持我们，要求她立即辞职。”
枪击发生在不到两周之后六名亚特兰大警官被指控因为6月2日两名坐在车里的大学生被强行逮捕。两人被电击枪电击，并被拖出车外，尽管他们似乎没有参与该地区的抗议活动。
对这些警官的指控包括严重攻击、用枪指着或瞄准、简单殴打和对财产的刑事损害。
Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigns in wake of fatal shooting
Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields has resigned, according to city Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms.
Shields had served in the position since December 2016. Shields will continue with the department in a role to be determined.
"It has become abundantly clear that over the last couple weeks in Atlanta is that while we have a police force full of men and women who work alongside our communities with honor respect and dignity," Bottoms said in a statement. "There has been a disconnect with what our expectations are, and should be as it relates to interactions with our officers and the communities in which they are entrusted to protect."
"Chief Erica Shields has been a solid member of APD for over two decades, and has a deep and abiding love for the people of Atlanta," she continued. "And because of her desire that Atlanta be a model of what meaningful reform should look like across this country Chief Shields has offered to immediately step aside as Police Chief so that the city may move forward with urgency and rebuilding the trust so desperately needed throughout our communities."
Former Assistant Police Chief Rodney Bryant will serve as interim police chief as the city immediately launches a national search for new leadership to repair trust within the community.
The move comes just hours after a man, identified as Rayshard Brooks, wasshot and killed by policeat a Wendy's drive-thru after police said he pointed a Taser at an officer while running away from law enforcement.
"I firmly believe that there is a clear distinction between what you can do and what you should do," Bottoms said in a press conference regarding the officer's actions. "I do not believe this was a justified use of deadly force and have called for the immediate termination of the officer."
Shields had also called for the officer's immediate termination and said the other officer involved has been placed on administrative duty.
"For more than two decades, I have served alongside some of the finest men and women in the Atlanta Police Department," Shields said in a statement following her resignation. "Out of a deep and abiding love for this City and this department, I offered to step aside as police chief. APD has my full support, and Mayor Bottoms has my support on the future direction of this department. I have faith in the Mayor, and it is time for the city to move forward and build trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve."
Bottoms expressed condolences to the family of Brooks.
"There are no words strong enough to express how sincerely sorry I am for your loss," the mayor said. "I do hope that you will find some comfort in the swift actions that have been taken today and the meaningful reforms that our city will implement on behalf of the countless men and women who have lost their lives across this country."
Calls for a change at the top of the department grew Saturday in the wake of Brooks' shooting.
"The Atlanta Police Department continues to terrorize protestors and murder unarmed Black bodies," the NAACP said in a statement. "It’s time for new leadership and a change of policing culture. Stand with us and call for her immediate resignation."
The shooting comes less than two weeks aftersix Atlanta police officers were chargedfor the forceful arrests of two college students sitting in their car on June 2. The two were shocked with stun guns and physically pulled out of the car though they did not appear to be involved in protests in the area.
Among the charges for the officers were aggravated assault, pointing or aiming a gun, simple battery and criminal damage to property.
