Reed gets endorsement from DeKalb DA, C.T. Martin, police

By Marcus K. Garner

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

DeKalb County District Attorney Gwendolyn Keyes Fleming, Atlanta City Councilman C.T. Martin and a host of Atlanta police officers on Thursday announced their endorsement for mayoral candidate state Sen. Kasim Reed.

The announcement came just days before the mayoral election, and as Reed unveiled a strategy to launch a war against gang crime in Atlanta.

"We all know crime and criminals know no boundaries," said Keyes Fleming, whose jurisdiction extends well into Atlanta city limits. "I have seen him work in the trenches, in the community, doing the things to keep us safe."

Both Keyes Fleming and Martin said among their reasons for endorsing Reed was his proposal for a plan to force  gang members out of the city. The plan would establish gang-free safety zones where individuals with gang-related criminal records would be cited for congregating.

Martin, the often outspoken and long-serving member of the city council who represents District 10 in Atlanta's southwest side, said the time is right to attack gang violence because Reed "has a sincere dedication to young people and a program and an action plan."

Atlanta police Sgt. Calvin Turner and a half dozen other officers representing a cross-section of Atlanta police, active and retired, were on hand to speak on behalf of what Turner said was about a third of the city's officers who are neither members of the International Brotherhood of Police, Local 623 or the Police Benevolent Association -- organizations that have endorsed Lisa Borders and Mary Norwood, respectively.

"[Reed is] endorsed by Andy Young, who in his term gave us more than any other mayor has," Tucker said noting that police were equipped with bullet-proof vests and semi-automatic handguns, and given raises, among other things during Young's time in office.

Reed was gracious for the endorsements and said his anti-gang plan, which is fashioned after a program currently being used in Los Angeles, would help the city financially because less money would have to be spent tracking down violent criminals.

He also pointed to plans to review the structure and size of police zones, keep city recreation centers open to youth  as late as 8 p.m. during the week, and to recruit a new police chief with experience stamping out gangs.

"I'll be counting on C.T. and others in the council to help me select the best and the brightest police chief," Reed said. "We not only want to be tough on crime, we want to be smart on crime."