Brunswick Responds to DOJ Homeless Shelter Suit

Thursday, March 6, 2025

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Good morning. This week’s public safety newsletter reports on two speed camera reform bills making their way through the legislature, the City of Brunswick’s response to a federal lawsuit about its treatment of a homeless shelter, and why keeping an eye on foster care is important to making society safer.

Questions, comments or story ideas? You can reach me at jake.shore@thecurrentga.org.

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NEWS: GOVERNING

Speed camera bills cruise through GA house to senate

This week, Georgia House members advanced two bills to the Senate to rein in the use of speed cameras in school zones, following complaints over high profits and excessive use.

“Operation of these cameras has not improved public safety but become a highly profitable revenue stream for private corporations and local governments,” said Rep. Dale Washburn, R-Macon, one of the two bill’s chief sponsors.

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NEWS: COURTS

Brunswick: Federal overreach on The Well

The City of Brunswick asked a judge to dismiss a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit against the city over its attempts to shut down a downtown homeless shelter.

The city’s motion came last Friday and leaned on a law dating back to 1793 to argue that federal prosecutors overstepped in trying to protect The Well, run by the privately-funded religious nonprofit called Faithworks.

In December 2024, the DOJ sued Brunswick and alleged it violated FaithWorks’ rights of religious freedom to help the homeless. Prosecutors wanted to block Brunswick’s ongoing nuisance case in Glynn County State Court, which seeks to stop The Well from serving the homeless.

Attorneys for Brunswick fired back and argued that prosecutors violated the “Anti-Injunction Act,” which prohibits federal interference in ongoing state cases. They also said that what federal prosecutors claimed was interference of religious rights does not apply.

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INVESTIGATIVE: GOVERNING

ICYMI: Investigation into DFCS practices, drug testing contracts

For the last seven months, I’ve been digging into a topic a little far afield from public safety (but not by much): Georgia’s child welfare system. The state’s Division of Family and Children Services oversees more than 10,000 children in foster care and manages the protection of Georgia children, rehabilitation of families and safeguarding of the rights of both.

My investigation reported on how DFCS paid $13 million to a drug testing company, called Averhealth, which was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice related to false claims.

The story found that not only did DFCS learn about the federal probe more than a year before letting the contract expire, the agency also failed to notify thousands of parents who could have been impacted by possible inaccurate testing.

As a public safety reporter diving into child welfare journalism for the first time, I have learned how important it is to pay attention to social infrastructure like foster care.

Crime and issues of public safety don’t come out of nowhere: multiple studies point to how former foster youth are at particular risk of ending up in a correctional facility, arrested, or convicted of a crime. Research shows that separation from one’s family, as well as mistreatment by family members, have lasting trauma on children that seep into their later lives.

It’s why accountability reporting on government agencies can help ensure best practices when it comes to decisions that affect families.

I hope you take some time to read the story. Thank you.

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