Mission Statement
To provide the citizens of Sandy Springs excellence in police services through proactive engagement, skilled investigations, and relentless pursuit of criminals.
Vision Statement
It is the vision of the Department to be the nation’s premiere model for excellence in policing, partnerships, and professionalism.
Core Values
- Honor – Exemplifying the ultimate in ethical and moral behavior. Abiding by an uncompromising code of integrity; respect for human dignity and respect for others. Our oath compels us to act responsibly and to hold ourselves and others accountable for our actions.
- Courage – The mental, moral, and physical strength that enables us to do what is right, to adhere to a higher standard of personal conduct and to make tough decisions under stress and pressure.
- Service – Vigilance in maintaining safety and public order through proactive crime prevention and detection efforts; investigating crimes and enforcing the law without fear or favor and helping to resolve quality-of-life problems facing our citizens and community.
History
The community came together to fight for a brand new city to improve public safety and the quality of life in Sandy Springs, Georgia. The Sandy Springs Police Department was created in 2005 and took over police operations from the Fulton County Police on July 1, 2006 at one minute after midnight. The City of Sandy Springs covering 38.5 square miles was incorporated just months earlier. To begin operations in July 2006, the SSPD recruited the best law enforcement officers in the Atlanta Metro area of Georgia. Only experienced officers were hired. Their talent and experience resulted in a highly professional, effective, and proficient organization. The SSPD has worked hand in hand with our citizens to reduce crime and disorder. Our mission is “To Prevent Crime and Enforce Law through Problem Solving Partnerships.” Our first priority is to prevent crime and protect our citizens. When crime does occur, we aggressively enforce the law.
Operations are coordinated from two districts- North and South. Each district is commanded by district captains and comprised of four patrol beats. The patrol division is complemented by specialty units including Street Crimes Unit (SCU), Criminal Intelligence Unit(CIU), Traffic Unit, Special Investigations Unit (SIU), and the Criminal Investigations Division (CID). The SSPD has several specialty vehicles and equipment including the river response boat, Rhino ATV units, river kayaks, and an armored vehicle for tactical response.
History of the Badge
When the city created the first Sandy Springs Police Department, the first group of officers wanted a badge that was unique and stood out above other typical law enforcement badges. The Chief wanted a silver badge trimmed around the edge in gold. When the badges arrived for review by the officers, the badge they wanted was incorrect and reflected just the opposite of what they asked for – silver trim around the edges and the badge was black and gold. The officers, after further review of the badge, decided they liked the new badge better and chose to let it be the launch badge for SSPD. The badge is currently worn today.
Previous Chiefs
Chief R.E. “Gene” Wilson was an 18 year veteran with the DeKalb County Police Department where he achieved the rank of Major before leaving the agency. In December 1989, he became Director of Police Services for the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA). Chief Wilson stayed in this position until leaving MARTA to become Chief of Police for the newly formed City of Sandy Springs in 2006. In Sandy Springs, Chief Wilson was responsible for building a police department from from the ground up into a fully functioning police agency.
In October 2008, the City of Sandy Springs, selected Chief Terry Sult to be their next Police Chief. Chief Sult began his law enforcement career over 40 years ago as a Police Explorer and a civilian Police Dispatcher with the Mecklenburg County Police Department. During his tenure, Chief Sult was instrumental in the start-up of the Chattahoochee River 911 Communications Authority. In March 2013, Chief Sult was promoted to Director of Public Safety for the City of Sandy Springs where he coordinated services for Police, Fire, and Emergency Management. In September 2013, Chief Sult was appointed Police Chief of the Hampton Police Division in Virginia.