ATLANTA — The Sheriff’s Office in Fulton County announced on Wednesday that it intends to transfer approximately $1.4 million to a private security firm by the end of the week. This comes after the New York-based Strategic Security Corp. withdrew its personnel from the local jail.
The security company’s contract with the county ended in August due to unpaid debts, which ultimately led to its officers leaving the Fulton County Jail unexpectedly. Strategic Security had been responsible for supplying around 80 guards to manage security at the facility. According to the company’s CEO, Joseph Sordi, they had not received payment for any billing period since the beginning of their contract in 2023. Nonetheless, Natalie Ammons, a representative of the sheriff’s office, mentioned that some bills had been fully settled.
Sheriff Patrick Labat has faced criticism from various county officials regarding the perilous conditions at the Fulton County Jail and alleged mismanagement of financial resources. This includes oversight of the $146 million budget allocated for the current year. Last year, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners opted to terminate the sheriff’s inmate welfare fund upon discovering that funds had been misused for promotional activities and consulting fees. The sheriff’s office has claimed to have taken corrective measures, including the dismissal of the fund’s administrator.
A situation escalated in October 2023 when the county commission retracted $2.1 million allocated for Talitrix, a jail software company based in Georgia that was supposed to supply 1,000 wristbands and monitoring devices. However, only 15 of the devices were operational at the jail, prompting Talitrix to file a lawsuit against the sheriff’s office for nonpayment.
In a recent statement, the sheriff’s department outlined that it has been operating under budget constraints which have hindered its obligations and operational capabilities, thus affecting both public safety and community confidence.
Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts noted that since 2019, the budget for the sheriff’s office and jail has seen a 66% increase, yet he criticized the sheriff for failing to manage the budget effectively. He highlighted that the contract with Strategic Security Corp. for staffing was signed without the involvement of the county’s purchasing department. He mentioned that the commissioners had set aside $1.3 million for 2024, reflecting the anticipated needs based on input from the sheriff’s office.
Furthermore, Pitts stated that the sheriff’s office only informed county management in August that it had exceeded its budget by more than $1 million. In July, the commission passed an ordinance mandating that Labat and other constitutional officers engage the county’s purchasing department for new contracts. In response, Labat indicated intentions to file a lawsuit against the Board of Commissioners, asserting that their management of his spending has been excessive.
