Congress is stepping up scrutiny on federal task forces with local law enforcement participation in the aftermath of the Jimmy Atchison shooting, as confirmed by a Government Accountability Office (GAO) spokesperson to NBC News. They will probe the oversight and processes used by the U.S. Department of Justice which often deputizes local police. This investigation follows a push by Senator Jon Ossoff, who chairs the Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on human rights and law. His concerns were prompted by an NBC News series highlighting the lack of accountability for federal law enforcement and their local counterparts on task forces.
Atchison, 21, was fatally shot by Atlanta Police Officer Sung Kim, who was operating with an FBI task force at the time of the incident. Atchison was unarmed when killed in January 2019, sparking a debate over the use of body cameras and federal oversight of task forces. According to Fox 5 Atlanta, the Justice Department has since altered its policy, now allowing local officers on these task forces to use body cameras.
Officer Kim is facing charges of felony murder, involuntary manslaughter, and violation of the oath of office. However, his attorneys were successful in transferring his case to federal court because of his federal task force status, as reported by NBC News. The shooting of Atchison, who was wanted on an attempted robbery charge, raised questions about the use of lethal force by law enforcement and has become a catalyst for closer examination of joint task force operations.
Ossoff's letter specifically called for "clarity regarding federal policies and practices surrounding these task forces," and how the Justice Department manages its oversight. The GAO has confirmed that an "in-depth examination" will begin in the coming months. The stakes are high, as law enforcement officers working within these task forces are often judged differently depending on whether they are acting under federal or local authority. With the Atchison case, only one of two fatal incidents led to criminal charges involving on-duty officers from 2018 to 2022, based on an NBC News analysis.
The Atlanta Police Department has since withdrawn from federal task forces, reflecting the heightened tension and calls for more consistent regulations. This sentiment was echoed by Atchison's family through their advocate, Tammie Featherstone, who remarked "It's a step in the right direction. Because this needs to be brought to the forefront," in a statement obtained by Fox 5 Atlanta. The family's struggle, and the broader outcry for accountability in law enforcement, now move into a new phase with federal eyes closely examining the intersection of local and federal law enforcement practices.
