Sheriff in Georgia promises to pay security company $1.4 million after jail walkouts
ATLANTA– The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday that it will send about $1.4 million in electronic payments by the end of the week to a private security company that has pulled its staff from the local jail in Georgia.
New York-based Strategic Security Corp. terminated its contract with the province in August after failing to pay money owed has his officers walk out from the Fulton County Jail in the middle of the day. The company provided approximately 80 security guards.
The sheriff’s office has not paid the company what it owes in any billing cycle since the contract began in 2023, CEO Joseph Sordi told reporters in August. Natalie Ammons, a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said the office has paid some bills in full.
Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat has come under fire from county officials for failing to address dangerous conditions in the region Fulton County Jail and for mismanaging funds, including the This year, $146 million has been allocated to his office.
Last year, the Fulton County Board of Commissioners disbanded the sheriff’s inmate welfare fund after learning the money had been used for promotional events and consulting fees. The agency said it has taken several corrective actions, including firing the fund manager.
In October 2023, the commission revoked $2.1 million in funding for Georgia-based prison software company Talitrix, which would provide 1,000 wristbands and monitoring devices to the prison. Only 15 were in use. Talitrix then sued the sheriff’s office for non-payment.
In Tuesday’s statement, the sheriff’s office said the department is underfunded by the county given its size and mandate. Underfunding “impacts not only contractual obligations, but also critical operational capabilities that directly impact public safety and community trust.”
Board of Commissioners Chairman Robb Pitts released a statement in August saying that funding for the sheriff’s office and jail has increased 66% since 2019, but that the sheriff “has consistently failed to demonstrate basic budgetary management practices.”
Pitts said the sheriff’s office has canceled its contract with Strategic Security Corp. has signed on to provide staff for prison watchtowers without involving the provincial procurement department. He said the commissioners allocated $1.3 million for 2024 based on contract usage and with input from the sheriff’s office.
The agency waited until August to tell district management that it had already spent more than $1 million over budget, Pitts said.
The commission in July approved an ordinance asking Labat and other constitutional officials to use the provincial purchasing department’s procurement process when entering into new contracts. Labat said he plans to sue the Board of Directors, which he believes has gone too far in managing the way he spends money.