James_Sept-Oct_2025_web - Flipbook - Page 11
technology that he viewed, Kent
said, is especially amazing. Also
impressive, he noted, is the ultramodern secure holding area for those
arrested which enhances safety for
both police and civilian personnel as
well as the public. And the evidence
and record keeping area is far superior to the old and far smaller one.
The facility is spacious and each
division— ranging from road patrol to
criminal investigation— has its own
wing in addition to ample spaces for
various meetings. While other Georgia law enforcement agencies are
THE NEW SANDY SPRINGS POLICE HEADQUARTERS & MUNICIPAL COURT
struggling to stay fully staffed, Police
Chief Ken DeSimone has noted in
As Sandy Springs turns 20 years recent years that his department has
has not been without its challenges.
a waiting list of eager job applicants.
Chief among them, Paul said, is man- old, it stands as a testament to perFurthermore, the Sandy Springs
severance, planning and the power
aging public expectations.
Police
Foundation is raising mon“People forget there’s also a state of community. And if the mayor (who
ey
to
help
build a planned tactical
and federal government involved,” he is up for re-election) and the City
instruction
center on a nearby hill.
said. “They think every decision that Council have anything to say about
it, the next exciting 20 years are just Completion of that center further unimpacts them is made by the city.
derscores that public safety is top of
getting started.
Sometimes we must remind folks
mind for the mayor and City Council.
how the system works.”
Looking ahead, Paul is focused
on continuing the vision that began in the 1970s: building a city
grounded in strong neighborhoods
and developing a vibrant, walkable
downtown. “We don’t have a traditional downtown,” he said. “We were
hoping to see more development in
recent years, but COVID put a lot of
that on hold.”
Still, he’s optimistic. With interest rates stabilizing and developers
returning, Paul believes the projects
that stalled during the pandemic will
soon be revived, including long-awaited retail revitalization along Roswell
Road and new trail networks in the
city’s northern areas.
A Favorite View
When asked about his proudest moment as mayor, Paul doesn’t
hesitate. “I love watching the crowd
during concerts at City Springs,” he
says. “I focus on their faces more
than the stage. Seeing people gathered— families, kids, neighbors— it
reminds me why we built this. It
renews my joy every time.”
New Police & Courts Facility
Our publisher Phil Kent recently was given a tour of the new $56
million first-class, four-story police
headquarters/municipal court facility on Morgan Falls Road. Major Mike
Lindstrom told him that the complex, which opened in April, ensures
“I love watching the crowd
during concerts at City Springs.
I focus on their faces more
than the stage. Seeing people
gathered reminds me why
we built this.” — MAYOR RUSTY PAUL
better safety for police officers, court
employees and visitors. The biggest
difference is that the property is not
spread out in four different buildings
over a business complex, as it was
before. So it allows police to better
work with the court system and other divisions within the department.
The 100,000-square-foot stateof-the-art command center and the
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