Atlanta police officers will reportedly receive a bonus of $500 each from the Atlanta Police Foundation, a public-private partnership that supports the city’s mayor, police chief and police department.
“In an effort to stem attrition and boost morale, we issued a $500 bonus to each Atlanta Police Department officer today,” the foundation said in a statement. The funds will come from a fundraising drive according to reports, meaning no city monies will be used.
The relationship between the city’s political leaders and its police officers have been sent reeling in the wake of the killing of Rayshard Brooks. Brooks was killed by police officers after he became violent when resisting arrest for driving while impaired. Brooks wrestled one of he officers’ tasers away and fired it an officer as he was attempting to flee.
The officer who shot Brooks, Garret Rolfe, was fired and charged 11 times, including for murder, a charge which carries with it a possible death penalty.
In response to charges they see as unfair, many Atlanta police officers walked off the job and are refusing to come to work. The walk-off, which city leaders are characterizing only as an “unusually high number of call-outs” has now lasted into its third day.