City schedules number of community events ► PAGE 3
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City buys site for relocation of fire station
In pursuit of justice
By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com
Sandy Springs Police has a uniquely aggressive vehicle pursuit policy, one neighboring cities do not share. By HAYDEN SUMLIN hayden@appenmedia.com NOR TH METRO ATLANTA —
T
he Sandy Springs Police Deparment has a more aggressive vehicle pursuit policy than surrounding jurisdictions, leading to more high-speed chases and risky maneuvers to stop suspects. In 2024, Sandy Springs officers engaged in more than twice the number of car chases than police in Alpharetta, Dunwoody and Roswell combined, according to interviews and an analysis by Appen Media. Law enforcement officials agree that the decision to pursue fleeing motorists is a balancing
PHOTO AND MUG BY: SANDY SPRINGS POLICE/PROVIDED
Sandy Springs Police Chief Kenneth DeSimone has presided over a department that engages in more vehicle pursuits than any neighboring cities in North Fulton County. act; departments must weigh the risk for officers, suspects and bystanders against the danger of not apprehending the suspect at that time. How Sandy Springs police make that calculation is what sets them apart from neighboring cities. Guidence from the Department of Justice in 2023 recommends that
pursuits should take place when two conditions are met, “(1) A violent crime has been committed and (2) the suspect poses an imminent threat to commit another violent crime.” The DOJ report also recommends law enforcement officials set policies for their departments that detail the requirements to initiate a pursuit, how to evaluate whether it should continue and instructions on documenting incidents. Sandy Springs’ policy says the goal of a pursuit is to reduce the danger to the public by stopping a fleeing vehicle as soon as possible. Neighboring police departments have different philosophies.
See PURSUIT, Page 4
SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — The Sandy Springs Public Facilities Authority purchased around 6.6 acres at 5275 Roswell Road July 15 for $10 million, paving the way for the relocation of Fire Station 4. Currently, Fire Station 4 sits about 1,000 feet outside Sandy Springs at 4697 Wieuca Road in Atlanta. City Manager Eden Freeman told elected officials that the site purchased for the new Fire Station 4 off Roswell Road would officially close after a debt issuance of $50 million for renovation or reconstruction of three fire stations. During its adoption of the 2026 budget, elected officials added a relocation of Fire Station 4 to a planned bond issuance, replacing Station 1 off Spalding Drive and enlarging Station 3 off Raider Drive. Freeman said Sandy Springs purchased the fire station just inside Atlanta for $1.24 million in 2014. The city is obligated to cover fire calls to parts of north Buckhead, extending south to Pharr Road, because of an agreement during the transfer of ownership.
See STATION, Page 9
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