Hundreds of claims filed against police in Atlanta for lost, damaged property
Educator forced to pay hundreds for Uber rides to work after key goes missing.
ATLANTA (InvestigateTV) — A metro Atlanta school teacher has been left without his vehicle for months after he said police lost his car key during an arrest, forcing him to spend hundreds of dollars on ride-sharing services just to get to work.
“I was working a summer job, a summer science camp, and I was really excited about it,” Jackson said. “It gave me a lot of anxiety about my professional relationship and reputation.”
In June, Atlanta police arrested Jackson for driving with a suspended license and for being in a city park after hours. Five days later, he went to B&L Wrecker Service and Impound to retrieve his vehicle. The car was there, but his key wasn’t.
Financial strain mounts
The cost to replace the key was about $250, money Jackson said he didn’t have at the time.
“Over the summer, I was transitioning from counties, so I wasn’t paid,” he said. “I have $32 to my name. And most of that is because I’ve been catching Ubers back and forth to work, and it’s been about $35 a day since June 16.”
Jackson said he called and emailed the police department repeatedly, but didn’t receive help. He even tracked down the arresting officer, Willie Williams, who told him during a recorded call: “It’s on body cam of me giving the tow slip and the key, and you cannot change that.”
However, body camera footage obtained by our investigators tells a different story. The video shows Williams removing Jackson’s key from the key ring and placing it on top of the vehicle before handing the tow slip to another officer. The key was never seen again, and Williams left the scene.
When the tow truck driver arrived 34 minutes later, he asked the remaining officer, “You got the keys?” The officer replied, “I think he left them in the car.”
The second officer briefly checked but found nothing, then handed paperwork to the tow truck driver, claiming the key had been left in the ignition.
Pattern of property claims
Three months later, Jackson still hadn’t been offered reimbursement. The Atlanta Police Department and B&L Wrecker Service and Impound did not respond to requests for comment.
City records show nearly 150 claims filed against the Atlanta Police Department since 2022 for lost or damaged property, totaling more than $3.3 million. The city did not agree to pay all of them.
Jackson filed a claim with the city for more than $800 to cover the cost of replacing the key and the Uber rides he used to get to work while unable to drive his car.
“I sent countless emails and phone calls that haven’t been responded to,” Jackson said.
Jackson takes responsibility for his arrest over the summer and wishes the city would do the same.
“I’m not looking for a grand payout,” he said.
Those who believe police have lost or damaged their property can file a claim online through the city of Atlanta.
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