Chattanooga Councilman Proposes Protection from Violence Intervention in Community Centers

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A Chattanooga city councilor has proposed an ordinance that would provide protections for program managers who intervene in situations of violence at local community centers.

We spoke to an employee at one of these community centers on Tuesday who says this protection is necessary because fights are unfortunately not uncommon.

“We have been asking for guards to work in the centers for years.”

Antonio Boston says community centers have been a part of his life for 30 years. He currently works as a volunteer coordinator for the Avondale Recreation Center.

According to Boston, workers in these centers have not been protected for too long.

‘Employers in the city have lost their jobs. I know three of them who lost their jobs trying to end the battle over the recreation center.”

From now on, program managers must call the police in the event of fights or threats of mass violence.

Councilwomen Demetrus Coonrod hopes to change that. She says program members have been fired in the past for breaking up fights.

Although CPD responds quickly, she says, those precious first minutes have deadly consequences if something goes wrong.

“At which point it’s too late to say, ‘Man, if we would have just gone ahead and put something in place…’ We’ve lost too many bodies.”

Coonrod proposed a regulation that would give program managers the authority to intervene when there is a threat of violence, both on and off site.

That includes ending physical altercations.

Boston says no matter what new rules are put in place, all he cares about is making sure community centers are safe for current and future generations.

“We’ve asked for the community to feel safe. Some people can’t even go downtown because they’re not safe.”

Coonrod is asking for input from program managers before calling for a City Council vote on the ordinance.