Backlog of police oversight cases looms for Atlanta board in 2026

The Atlanta Citizen Review Board ended 2025 with little progress and a long backlog of cases awaiting 2026.

The board is charged with investigating deaths and serious injuries that happen while people are in police custody. 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the board is close to completing two investigations, but it has a backlog of about 50 cases.

“We still have a lot of work that we have to do,” Kelvin Williams, the board’s chair, told the AJC.

The AJC previously reported in January 2025 that the board had neglected to investigate about 40 cases between 2020 and 2024.

The Atlanta City Council increased the board’s budget in 2025 from $1.6 million to more than $2 million and increased the number of investigators to five. The Atlanta Police Department also entered into an agreement with the board to share information within 24 hours of a new case to help investigations happen faster.

However, the board’s executive director, Lee Reid, said that the board cannot investigate cases until the district attorney’s office and the police department have concluded their investigations, according to the AJC.

Atlanta City Councilmember Andrea Boone told the AJC that the board needs to make more progress.

“This is one of the most important components to the city of Atlanta. To make sure that citizens are treated fairly, that we are taking a stand against police brutality,” Boone said.