Strategies
The Equitable Growth & Inclusion Strategic Plan (EGISP) organizes its recommendations according to 4 goal areas (Just Industry, Equitable Economic Development, Inclusive Housing, and Engaged Communities) and 9 strategies. Strategies weave together the several recommended actions and targets listed under each goal area.
Note that some strategies are used across several goals, while other strategies may only be seen in one goal.
A Note about Policing
The development of this Plan took place in a moment of national reckoning in the U.S. around racial justice, unprecedented in recent history. The fight for racial equity has been continuous over the history of our nation. The demonstrations of 2020, however, involving tens of millions of Americans in all 50 states, represented a more wide-spread acknowledgement of the systemic racism plaguing our country. This Plan release demonstrates to local residents and peer cities alike the seriousness of the City’s commitment to an equitable and inclusive East Point.
Because the community did not uplift police reform as problematic for East Point's context at this time, nor did City staff and leadership request specific focus on this issue, this was not included as a goal area within this Plan. At the same time, PSE would be remiss not to mention it, particularly given the historical moment within which the Plan process took place. Today and every day, PSE stands with all Black, Brown, and Indigenous people as this nation continues to reckon with the failures of our justice system, even as racial injustice and brutality continue to tirelessly consume lives. While the Plan does not make specific recommendations regarding policing, the strategies and actions recommended in Goal 1: Engaged Community particularly ensure that community voices remain central in conversations regarding equity action in the City. These actions outline steps for the City to invest in building community capacity to contribute solutions, acknowledging that residents who are closest to problems are closest to their solutions. Additionally, the East Point Police Department has taken some of its own steps to engage the community. If and when concerns arise in East Point around police reform, City leadership will have its ear close to community voices, ready to respond quickly.
A few policing resources for residents and staff alike to explore include:
East Point Survey Results regarding Police
When asked How strongly do you agree with the following statement: "I trust the East Point Police to be professional, just, and fair"?, only 10% of respondents disagreed, and 3% strongly disagreed. Despite not being a majority opinion, comments in the survey provide the City with some potential steps to address these concerns.
For instance, one respondent suggested Police Officer Community Events to enhance community trust in local police. Another requested that some police funding be used to institute a mental health mobile crisis unit.
A few other suggestions included Crisis Intervention Training for Police officers, as well as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training (On May 24, 2021, PSE led a virtual Racial Equity Foundations training for City of East Point staff. Nine EP Police staff members participated in the training). PSE recommends that these training suggestions be considered when the City carries out its action steps to establish new topically-focused resident-driven Boards, Commissions, and Committees (BCC) to provide opportunities for citizen engagement.
On the whole, however, comments from the 346 survey respondents (see more about respondent demographics) about policing primarily focused on requests for greater police presence, not less, in neighborhoods.