Sandy Springs is responding to residents’ concerns about preparations for potential active shooter situations, including an incident on Tuesday afternoon in which a man was arrested on Roswell Road for pointing a toy replica of an AR-15 rifle at passing vehicles.
During a City Council meeting on Tuesday, Police Chief Ken DeSimone said the airsoft rifle looked identical to an actual AR-15 rifle and police arrived at the scene in helmets with rifles.
He described the man who was taken into custody at 5600 Roswell Road as mentally disturbed and on narcotics. The man was charged with disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, disorderly conduct and possession of drugs, according to police.
Fulton County Schools Police Chief Mark Sulborski joined DeSimone at the City Council meeting to address questions on how prepared law enforcement would be if an active shooter entered a school in Sandy Springs.
The Sandy Springs police department and mayor’s office received numerous calls from residents last week, asking about school safety after six people including three students were killed in Nashville at The Covenant School, DeSimone said.
Sandy Springs Police train regularly with the Fulton County Schools Police Department for active shooter situations, the chief said, adding that many Sandy Springs police officers work security for private schools during their off duty hours.
In March, police responded to a false alarm for an active shooter at Riverwood High School within two minutes, DeSimone said.
“Our guys were going in like there was an active shooter,” he said.
A fight between students at the school caused a teacher to press a button for help, but the teacher inadvertently pressed the button too long and it set off an active shooter alarm, he added.
“It’s stressful,” DeSimone told council members. “It’s stressful for police chiefs and for officers on the scene.”
Fulton County Schools police oversee 108 school sites. Sulborski said high schools have two Fulton County police officers assigned to their location and middle schools have one officer. Patrol units monitor elementary schools, he said.
Councilwoman Jody Reichel asked if there are unlocked doors at some school entrances. Sulborksi said there are new policies in place since last year’s shooting in Uvalde, Texas where 19 students and two teachers were killed at Robb Elemetary School.
Each school entrance door has an alarm and they’re monitored by cameras, he said.
DeSimone added that large school buildings can pose a challenge during an emergency.
“(When you get inside), you’re relying on what you hear, what you see and what people are telling you,” the Sandy Springs police chief said. “You don’t have time to pull out a map.”
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