Old BJ's Building Will Become New Cobb Police Training Center

MARIETTA, GA — Cobb County Police will soon have a training center that can handle the needs of a growing department. The board of commissioners approved the purchase of the old BJ's Wholesale property on the East-West Connector on Tuesday. The 115,369-square foot building will become Cobb's Police Training Facility.

“Our current training center was built in 1992 for 600 fire and police officers,” said Public Safety Director Sam Heaton. “We've grown to more than 1400 now. This facility will allow us to enhance our training programs moving forward and the indoor firing range will reduce the impact to surrounding neighborhoods.”

The $10,750,000 purchase is part of the 2016 Special Local Option Sales Tax program. Director Heaton says the county could receive as much as $3,140,000 from a lease termination refund to BJ's, money that would go into the renovation of the building. The nearly 20-acre property is located at 2435 East-West Connector, Austell, GA 30064.

Heaton says the old training facility, off County Services Parkway, will be re-done for use by the Fire Department only.

Commissioner Lisa Cupid, who represents the neighborhood, was thankful for the purchase. “This property has been barren and overgrown for quite some time,” Cupid said. “Hopefully with the redevelopment and the traffic coming to that property it will boost the local economy.”

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