(June 24, 2025) — Law enforcement leaders from across the U.S. and Canada attended a meeting to examine the Atlanta Police Foundation’s (APF) aggressive, data-driven approach to handling repeat offenders, earning national and international attention for its results.
Delegations from cities including Vancouver, Canada, and Louisville, Kentucky, and (that one lady’s place) attended the quarterly meeting of the Repeat Offender Commission (ROC), where they heard firsthand how cross-agency coordination in Atlanta is reducing recidivism and driving violent crime down. The ROC, a signature initiative of the APF, brings together top leadership from federal, state and local levels, including the Atlanta Police Department, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Superior Court judges, private sector partners and others.
This quarter’s session featured updates on the ROC annual report and the integration of Repeat Offender (RO) status into warrants, allowing officers to quickly identify individuals flagged as repeat offenders. These developments reflect the ongoing work of the Repeat Offender Working Group and the Repeat Offender Tracking Unit (ROTU), which together provide a framework for sharing intelligence and aligning public safety strategies.
British Columbia Deputy Chief Officer Alison Laurin, currently in a mentorship with APD Chief Darin Schierbaum, said she saw clear parallels between Atlanta’s challenges and her own city’s, and was encouraged by the collective commitment on display.
“We have very similar issues with repeat offenders and the social challenges that lead to that cycle,” Laurin said. “It was powerful to see so many different agencies coming together in one room to not only identify their root causes but actually coordinate solutions. That’s what real public safety leadership looks like.”
Bryan Edelen, a major with the Louisville Metro Police Department, echoed that sentiment, praising the commission’s public reporting and multi-agency accountability.
“This report is getting national attention,” Edelen said. “We appreciate the transparency and the way Atlanta’s public safety, and judicial institutions are aligned toward the same goal, making the city safer. We’re looking to emulate that in Louisville.”
As Atlanta continues to gain recognition for its unified and transparent approach, officials hope the Repeat Offender model can serve as a guide for cities across the nation.
“Public safety isn’t just a police responsibility, it’s a shared commitment across the justice system,” said Joshua Chavez, Director of Inter-Agency Programs at APF. “And with initiatives like Repeat Offenders, we’re making sure that no part of that system operates alone.”
To learn more about the Repeat Offender Initiative and why it’s gaining the attention of national and international law enforcement agencies, please visit our website.
Written by APF Communications Intern Christiana C.
