In Atlanta, a battle is playing out that should alarm anyone concerned with civil liberties, community investment, and the future of democracy. What began as a local controversy\u2014around a proposed $90 million militarized police training facility dubbed \u201cCop City\u201d\u2014has become a symbol of a deeper crisis: the erosion of public accountability under the guise of \u201cpublic-private partnerships.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the center of this fight is the Atlanta Police Foundation (APF)<\/a><\/strong>, a nonprofit that has positioned itself as both financier and architect of Cop City. The project is being pushed forward despite widespread public opposition, violent crackdowns on protestors, and a ballooning budget increasingly funded by taxpayer dollars. Now, as investigative journalists try to shine a light on the foundation\u2019s role, APF is fighting transparency in court\u2014arguing that it isn\u2019t subject to Georgia\u2019s Open Records Act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their rationale? That publishing these records could \u201cterrorize\u201d the companies involved in construction. In other words: the public asking questions is being framed as the threat<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen Private Interests Control Public Power<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n