The Georgia State Patrol is planning to build a new post on the grounds of the Governor’s Mansion in the Buckhead area of Atlanta, Gov. Brian Kemp announced Friday.
The 1,750-square-foot facility and garage bay will house 12 troopers directly assigned to the post and accommodate up to 30 troopers while maintaining the historic integrity of the mansion and surrounding grounds.
“With this new patrol post, our dedicated state troopers will have another base of operations as they take the fight directly to criminals,” Kemp said. “I look forward to seeing its positive impact on the Buckhead community.”
A rise in violent crime in Buckhead prompted calls among some Republicans in the General Assembly earlier this year for creating a separate city of Buckhead. But legislation calling for a referendum on cityhood for Buckhead failed on the floor of the state Senate last March.
The Georgia House added $1.3 million to this year’s state budget to fund the new post at the Governor’s Mansion. Construction is due to begin next year.
“This new patrol post is a significant long-term investment in public safety by the state of Georgia,” said House Speaker Jon Burns, R-Newington. “The patrol post will not only improve response times to incidents in and around the city of Atlanta but also improve coordination between state and local enforcement.”
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