Reginald Green starts one-man police protest

ALBANY, GA (WALB) - An Americus man carries a sign of protest in Albany, to bring awareness about officer involved shootings.

Cops shooting unarmed people is a much discussed topic in South Georgia.

The Dougherty District Attorney says officer related shootings will be a top topic at the D.A. state meeting this week.

Meanwhile one protestor wanted South Georgians to remember his friend in this hotly debated issue.

Reginald Green of Americus walked down Albany's North Slappey Blvd. with a sign protesting officer related shootings, saying it happened to his friend and he doesn't want it to happen again.

Reginald Green's sign says "A badge don't mean kill us for fun" on one side. The other side said "Some people are lawbreakers and some cops do take lives."

He says cops should not kill; even lawbreakers. "I'm protesting about the police brutality. It don't mean disrespect me as a human being because I broke the law. It don't mean act aggressive towards me because I broke the law. Things of that nature."

Green said he was carrying the sign to remind of 42 year old Tracy Clyde, who was shot and killed in October 2013, when investigators say he attacked Leesburg Police Captain Monterey Moody in a vacant house on Pine Street at 4:00 AM.  Clyde was wanted for a violent robbery of a woman the day before. Investigators found that Clyde took Officer Moody's Taser and hit him with it when he jumped the officer inside the house, and the shooting was ruled justified.

Dougherty District Attorney Greg Edwards said the national highly-charged incidents will be one of the top topics this week at the District Attorney's Association meeting in Perry. Edwards said after two recent events, he is concerned some people now think they can fight police, because cops are too afraid to shoot.

"I'm not armed so you can't shoot me. And then you can fight. And that is kind of the attitude we want to curb, because officers may have to use whatever force is necessary to bring a person into custody," Edwards said.

Edwards said he also wants to protect people from police brutality, if it occurs. He encourages South Georgians to video police exchanges, to record the truth. "I'd like to see officers with body cameras and other devices that would help from their perspective. So more video, more observations is good."

Green is walking to urge police not to shoot. "I asked my little daughter about it. What if the cops killed your Dad? She didn't say a word, she looked down, and I know what that means. So you know we can do something about it."

Police involved shootings very much on the minds of Georgians.

The District Attorney Association of Georgia will meet in Perry Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Greg Edwards is the president of the state's prosecutors association.

• Previous coverage on the Tracy Clyde shooting-