Public Safety

The Georgia State Patrol is partnering with local police departments to remind motorists that there's nothing "super" about drinking and driving. DUI checks are planned this weekend for South Fulton and Fairburn in anticipation of parties to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday. State troopers, sheriff's deputies and South Fulton Police Department officers will maintain their zero tolerance policy this weekend which means and arrest and ride to jail for any impaired driver they find on the road. In addition to DUI checks, the three-day enforcement operation labeled Operation Rolling Thunder will also include enforcement for other traffic violations including speeding, no seat belts and distracted driving. Story continues below... "There is a lot of planning that takes place for those w...

Earlier today, South Fulton firefighters rescued two men from the third floor of a burning apartment building. One was transported to the Grady Memorial Hospital Burn Unit for evaluation of his injuries. The other was treated and released on the scene. The fire broke out at 610 Camelot Drive in the Old National area around 2:30 p.m. Firefighters from College Park and Union City also responded. The apartment building sustained significant damage. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Both South Fulton Fire Rescue and the city's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs department will work with the American Red Cross to assist displaced occupants. Photo Credit: City of South Fulton

The City of South Fulton is making significant investments in public safety with the purchase of two new fire engines, a ladder truck and related equipment for the fire department. The new engines were delivered in early January and the city expects to put the ladder truck into service in February, according to Fire Chief Freddie Broome. “The new engines expand our reach and help us provide better coverage, while ensuring we can respond to calls as quickly as possible,” Broome said. “In addition, the ladder truck ensures we can protect the city’s taller buildings.” Broome said the new trucks are equipped with advanced features to ensure firefighters respond to emergency incidents safely. Some of these features include enhanced compartment space with mounted tools, seatbelt sen...

Chief Sterling Jones of the Riverdale Fire Department will join South Fulton Fire Rescue as a deputy fire chief on February 3. His career spans 26 years. Prior to joining the City of Riverdale Fire Services in 2017, he served in the deputy chief role with the City of Augusta Fire Department for nearly five years. He also spent 18 years Atlanta Fire Rescue Department where he rose to the rank of battalion chief. “Chief Jones is an experienced fire service leader and we are excited to add him to our team,” said Fire Chief Freddie Broome. “The addition of Chief Jones is yet another step toward building a world-class department.” Jones earned a master’s degree in public administration from Columbus State University and a bachelor’s degree in fire and safety engineering technology ...

If you regularly speed along the streets of the City of South Fulton, a citation may be in your near future. The police department has announced that Operation Rolling Thunder will take place next week. It's a high visibility traffic enforcement campaign sponsored by the Governor's Office of Highway Safety that's focused on reducing fatalities, injuries, and correcting dangerous driving behaviors. The operation will target distracted drivers, speeders, non-compliant commercial truck drivers and those driving under the influence. A similar operation in Savannah in 2017 yielded hundreds of citations in just one day, and even some arrests. Operation Rolling Thunder is a cooperative effort between the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS), the Georgia State Patrol, the City of...

The City of South Fulton is marking National Slavery and Human Trafficking Awareness Month by educating the public on how to participate in preventative measures. Earlier in the month, Councilwoman Helen Z. Willis partnered with youthSpark to train more than 50 community ambassadors to spot the signs of human trafficking. Founded in 2010, youthSpark helps children at risk for exploitation through a combination of youth services, investigative research, policy advocacy and training. On Thursday, January 30, Councilwoman Willis will partner with youthSpark again for a Human Trafficking Forum. Panelists will include Jennifer Swain, the organization's executive director and Police Chief Keith Meadows. The event will take place at Siloam Church International, 3695 Roosevelt Highw...

South Fulton Police Officer Matthew Edwards has been terminated from the department as of January 16. He was arrested in Villa Rica for enticing a child for indecent purposes, simple battery and violation of oath of office. “These are serious criminal allegations against Officer Edwards. We are cooperating with Villa Rica PD in their investigation,” said Police Chief Keith Meadows. Officer Edwards was sworn in by the South Fulton Police Department on July 10, 2018. Photo: Officer Matthew Edwards was sworn in at South Fulton's City Hall in 2018. Editor's Note: Story updated on Jan. 19 at 1 p.m.

The South Fulton Fire Rescue Department is collecting toys for its 11th Annual Toy Drive. The toys will be distributed on Saturday, Dec. 21 at 9 a.m. to city residents along the Fulton Industrial Corridor. Donors are encouraged to bring toys to City Hall at 5440 Fulton Industrial Blvd. or to Fire Station No. 11 at 4760 Fulton Industrial Blvd. before the event. All donations should be addressed to the attention of attention of Fire Marshal Donna Dingler. “This annual event gives us an opportunity to give back,” said Fire Chief Freddie Broome. “We strive to not only save lives, but to impact lives and this program helps us do just that. We want to make sure our citizens have happy holidays.” For more information about the toy drive, contact Fire Marshall Dingler at 470-809-7553 o...

South Fulton's City Council recently voted to limit the use of gender-related titles for public safety personnel. It’s one of the first cities in Georgia to do so. District 2 Councilwoman Carmalitha Gumbs sponsored the legislation to promote gender diversity within the workplace. “We want to create a more inclusive environment for city employees and staff,” Gumbs said. “When we became a city, we inherited policies and procedures that included outdated and antiquated references regarding public safety personnel. It is important that we move the city in the right direction.” City policy refers to public safety employees as firefighters and police officers. “You can’t have an all-inclusive work environment if everyone does not feel included,” said Fire Chief Freddie Broome. “...