In the growing national conversation around policing, community trust, and civil rights, GoVia: Highlight A Herostands as a timely and technology-forward intervention. “GoVia, a community police safety app, aims to ‘highlight a hero’ in the truth justice social media thread by ranking the police experience.” At its core, GoVia is more than a digital tool—it’s a legal, emotional, and civic infrastructure that empowers citizens to engage with law enforcement through transparency, oversight, and healing.
Purpose and Vision: Restoring Community-Police Trust
GoVia is designed as an integrated solution—one that blends legal documentation, mental health support, and community engagement. The aim is to “prevent civil rights abuses and foster dialogue between law enforcement and the community.” Unlike traditional review platforms, GoVia brings legally binding documentation to the forefront by allowing users to submit affidavits—written statements under oath—that can serve as formal records in police-related incidents. These statements are the backbone of the Attorney-Witness Legal Framework built into the app.
Key Features of GoVia
The features embedded in GoVia are unique in their depth and social consciousness:
- Affidavit-Based Ratings: Users submit sworn statements to verify the integrity of police interactions.
- Live Video Chat (Zoom): Immediate access to support in high-stress moments.
- Legal & Mental Health Resources: Direct links to attorneys and trauma-informed therapists.
- Real-Time Evidence Uploads: Video, audio, and GPS logs can be added in real-time to ensure chain of custody.
- Subpoena and Affidavit Generation: Legally recognized documents that can be used in court proceedings.
- Probation Officers and Social Workers Integration: A holistic model that supports alternatives to punitive justice.
- Educational & Preventive Tools: Know-your-rights material, mental health care, and safety protocols.
These tools help transform volatile moments into teachable, documentable events—with outcomes beneficial to both the citizen and law enforcement.
Why Atlanta, Georgia? A Perfect Testbed
Atlanta is historically and politically significant. As a Black cultural capital, the city represents both the legacy of civil rights activism and the challenges of modern law enforcement. GoVia’s roll-out in Atlanta is meaningful, especially in light of the controversial development of the Atlanta Public Safety Training Center, commonly known as “Cop City”—a proposed $90 million training complex.
Cop City Context:
Located in the Weelaunee Forest in DeKalb County, “Cop City” has been met with intense local resistance due to fears of increased police militarization and lack of public consultation.
Data Snapshot: Crime, Arrests, and Wrongful Convictions in Atlanta
Atlanta Crime Stats (2023):
| Category | Rate per 100,000 | National Average |
| Violent Crime | 737 | 380 |
| Property Crime | 3,275 | 1,958 |
| Police Use-of-Force Complaints | High (no public central database) | — |
(Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023)
Arrests and Wrongful Convictions:
- Georgia ranks #6 in the U.S. for exonerations (Innocence Project, 2024)
- Black people make up 60% of wrongful convictions, while being only 32% of Georgia’s population.
- National data shows Black Americans are 7 times more likely to be wrongly convicted of murder than white Americans. (National Registry of Exonerations, 2023)
This disproportionality underscores the need for community-driven tools like GoVia.
Case Law Support: Citizen Oversight and Police Protections
Supporting Citizen Oversight:
- Glik v. Cunniffe (1st Cir. 2011): Established a citizen’s First and Fourth Amendment rights to record public officials, including police.
- Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach (2018): U.S. Supreme Court ruled that retaliatory arrest claims are valid if tied to government suppression of speech.
Supporting Police Protections:
- Qualified Immunity Doctrine (Harlow v. Fitzgerald, 1982): Shields officers from liability unless clearly established law was violated.
- Graham v. Connor (1989): Use of force must be “objectively reasonable,” opening a door for GoVia to contribute evidence in disputes.
How GoVia Can Help Police
- Improve Trust and Accountability: Officers who receive high affidavit ratings become community “heroes,” lifting morale and promoting positive role models.
- Reduce Frivolous Claims: Documented interactions with legal weight (affidavits, timestamped videos) provide clarity in contested incidents.
- Mental Health Tools for Officers: Access to behavioral health care benefits both police and civilians.
- Build Data for Better Training: Aggregated experience ratings can inform policy and sensitivity training, especially in progressive environments like Atlanta.
Empowerment Through Technology
GoVia stands as a reminder that “transparency and support for all” can coexist in the same platform. For too long, police accountability and citizen safety have been framed as opposing goals. This app suggests otherwise. By centering verified personal accounts and protecting both parties’ rights, GoVia builds a third space—one of digital justice and mutual healing.
Books That Dive Deeper Into Policing, Justice, and Black Empowerment:
- “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander – A foundational text on mass incarceration and racial caste systems.
- “Locking Up Our Own” by James Forman Jr. – A nuanced examination of Black leadership, policing, and justice in America.
- “We Do This ‘Til We Free Us” by Mariame Kaba – Explores abolitionist perspectives and the need for community-based safety.
- “Policing the Black Man” edited by Angela J. Davis – A collection of essays by Black scholars on the criminal justice system.
