Atlanta Public Safety Training Center: Recruits mark one year

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Atlanta public safety leaders welcomed cameras into the city’s 85-acre training facility Monday to demonstrate how hundreds of recruits are preparing for real-life emergencies.

What we know:

Since the facility opened in April 2025, more than 600 fire and police recruits have utilized the DeKalb County site. The campus features four buildings for high-pressure encounters, a firing range, a burn tower, and obstacle courses for driving practice.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said the goal is to ensure officers are effective when they arrive at an emergency. Fire Chief Rod Smith also showcased recruits training on Norfolk Southern train cars to prepare for complex hazardous materials events.

Local perspective:

The facility is located outside Atlanta city limits on Constitution Road in unincorporated DeKalb County. Residents living on nearby Key Road say the site creates a constant nuisance, ranging from loud explosions to the sound of gunfire and squealing tires.

Phillip Floyd, who lives in the area, noted that while the facility is for Atlanta recruits, the neighborhood is actually served by the DeKalb County Police Department.

"They set off loud explosions. You pretty much hear the sound of gunfire constantly," said Floyd. "Some days you'll just hear, like, squealing tires, like all day. So it's a nuisance." 

The backstory:

The project faced intense opposition from activists who call it "Cop City." In 2023, law enforcement shot and killed an armed activist, Manuel Teran, who was occupying the woods. This led to arson and vandalism targeting police vehicles and the Atlanta Police Foundation.

Despite a petition with over 100,000 signatures, the city moved forward. Recent reports revealed taxpayers paid $910,000 to a former clerk to verify signatures that were never processed. 

SEE FULL REPORTING ON THE ATLANTA PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING CENTER

What they're saying:

Chief Schierbaum maintains that the "vast majority" of Atlantans support the project. He pointed to Mayor Andre Dickens' margin of victory in the election as proof that residents believe in a properly trained first responder network.

What we don't know:

While security remains tight with 24-hour protection from Atlanta officers, it is unclear how long this level of security will be required. Officials have not specified if additional noise-mitigation measures will be installed to address resident complaints.