Atlanta

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The Atlanta Division honors journalist Ms. Jodie Fleischer for her extraordinary contributions to preventing crime and violence in the Atlanta area and throughout the state of Georgia.

Ms. Fleischer is an investigative reporter for WSB-TV, a major media outlet in Atlanta, Georgia. She has created and promoted numerous investigative news stories involving individuals who are part of the sovereign citizen movement and their acquisition (through quit claim deeds and other false filings) of high-value homes or businesses that are either vacant or in foreclosure. Ms. Fleischer has not only educated citizens about these criminal schemes, she has helped area law enforcement understand the scope of the problem. Perhaps more importantly, she has helped educate the Georgia legislature and the U.S. government, leading to state legislation closing the loophole that permitted this criminal conduct.

Ms. Fleischer further demonstrated leadership by coordinating her investigative reporting with investigative efforts of law enforcement, to include the FBI. Through Ms. Fleischer’s tenacity, information sharing among the numerous jurisdictions about the activities of criminals was fluid and comprehensive, and her stories reflected the collaborative efforts of law enforcement.