Amid $1.4M Debt Payment, Fulton Jail Challenges Loom

ATLANTA, GA — Fulton County's $1.4 million debt to a security company that provided officers for the Fulton County Jail is paid, authorities said.

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday said its balance of $1,404,799 has been paid to Strategic Security Company.

Workers with SSC were told to "abandon their posts" in August after a budget crisis forced a contract termination. The money owed was for about three months worth of work, authorities said in the past.

Shortly after, the sheriff's office quickly gave contingent offers to about 50 SSC staffers to continue their employment.

Authorities said they experienced a funding shortage toward the end of August but have since crafted a plan to pay the money owed from their existing budget to SSC.

"As a part of the FCSO end-of-year close-out process and by demonstrating efficient resource management, we are able to satisfy the obligation, although we are still not adequately funded for an agency of this size with the mandates required. ... Over a four-year period, FCSO has successfully managed to operate effectively despite only a 15% increase in resources, even in the face of inflationary pressures," authorities said in a news release.

Authorities noted the Fulton County Board of Commissioners did not direct them to complete the payment but rather it was made through the "hard work" of the sheriff's office's finance team.

"The sheriff’s office has not received any additional funding in our budget to facilitate this payment," authorities said in the release.

Authorities said it has been addressing its lack of funding with county government officials since 2021. Not only have contracts been affected, but authorities said the scarcity has impacted operational capacities.

This all comes about a month after the Department of Justice closed its probe of the jail and concluded that inmates' rights are "routinely" violated while incarcerated.

The sheriff's office said the DOJ's report emphasized the challenges the jail faces.

"We take all the recommendations in the report very seriously and remain committed to working alongside federal, state, and local partners to implement meaningful long-term reforms, reduce resident populations responsibly, and address systemic issues highlighted in the report. The safety, dignity and well-being of every individual in our care are our highest priorities. We are dedicated to collaborating closely with the Board of Commissioners and other partners to rectify the challenges outlined in the report. Together, we will continue working toward solutions that uphold our shared values and foster trust within our community," authorities said in a news release.