Week of Police Stand-offs, Emergencies Show Why Partnerships Work, Chief Says

Sandy Springs Police Chief this week, how the department's partnerships with the community and other agencies played a large role in Monday's

There were actually two police stand-offs that day, and a suspicious package at Glenridge and I-285.

“We handled all of those events through partnerships,” Sult said. “We leveraged friends and resources, and colleagues that we made relationships with.

On Monday, the SSPD and SWAT teams had the assistance of the Dunwoody, Johns Creek, Gwinnett and Atlanta Police Departments, Fulton County Schools Police, ATF, FBI, GBI, Georgia State Patrol, Sandy Springs Fire Rescue, and volunteers on the Sandy Springs Community Emergency Response Team.  [See a full list below.]

And the department of 127 members was able to manage the emergencies and still deliver services, Sult said.

“When you picked up the phone and called 911 we were still able to get you a police car there when you needed it,” he added.

In a press announcement, Friday, Lt. Keith Zgonc provided an account of Monday's events and how partnerships assisted.

He said:

When Monday’s standoff and subsequent negotiations began, it was clear that the situation could last for several hours. In addition to the North Metro S.W.A.T. team, comprised of twenty-four officers from Sandy Springs, Johns Creek, and Dunwoody police departments, the decision was made to call for assistance from the Gwinnett County Police Department S.W.A.T. team. The Atlanta Police Department assisted with locating the infant’s mother, and Cox Communications provided their mobile command center for use at the scene. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation arrived with their bomb unit to assist with surveillance. A crew from Rural Metro Ambulance was on standby for the entire incident.

As the incident continued through the afternoon, the Georgia State Patrol S.W.A.T. team arrived. Troopers from the Georgia State Patrol assisted with traffic control on Roswell Road.  To address a concern on how best to handle children returning home from school that afternoon, Fulton County School Police arrived on scene and provided assistance.

The Sandy Springs Community Emergency Response Team, made up of community volunteers, manned the Incident Command location assisting with water and resources for the first responders on location. Negotiators were assisted by a doctor from Stone, McElroy and Associates Psychological Services. Incident Command and Sandy Springs Fire Rescue was in contact with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta for consultation on care and concern for the infant inside the apartment. The City of Sandy Springs Public Works department provided support with road closures and detour assistance.

While the hostage incident was taking place on Roswell Road, a call of a suspicious package on Glenridge Road near I-285 was received, placing additional strains on already stretched Sandy Springs resources. The G.B.I. bomb squad, already on scene at the Roswell Road location, responded to the suspicious package call. During this time, the Fulton County Sheriffs’ Office assisted with 9-1-1 call response in Sandy Springs.

Later in the evening with the hostage situation still evolving, Sandy Springs Police received a call of a barricaded gunman on the north end of the city. Fortunately, responding officers were quickly able to talk to the suspect and convinced him to come out of his house.

Were it not for the commitment to build and foster relationships with our neighboring municipalities and law enforcement partners, the capabilities of the 127 member Sandy Springs Police Department would have been stretched beyond acceptable levels.

Here's a list of agencies that assisted in the police stand-off on Monday at One Sovereign Place apartments on Roswell Road.

Gwinnett County Police

Georgia Bureau of Investigation

Georgia State Patrol

Georgia State Capitol Police

Fulton County Sheriff

Fulton County School Police

Atlanta Police

Rural Metro Ambulance

Sandy Springs CERT

Sandy Springs Fire

Cox Communications

Dunwoody Police

Johns Creek Police

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office (S.W.A.T. on standby)

United States Marshals Office (Assisted with cell phone tracking)

ATF

FBI