Cobb County officials on Friday opened a new police precinct in East Cobb that county leaders said was funded through the county's 2016 Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) program and will come online in phases.

Commissioner Burrell, who led the project's push, said the precinct's planning and construction stretched roughly a decade. "What a beautiful day in Cobb County. And what better way to celebrate Cobb County's finest than a new police precinct. A long awaited dream come true," she said, noting the project began as a 2016 SPLOST item and "even though it's taken about 10 or 11 years, it's finally here." She also said Major Batterton will oversee the new precinct until it is fully staffed.

The precinct will open first as an administrative site, county officials said, providing police reports, VIN checks and other desk services and housing the DUI task force. "This phase is administrative. We are using some part-time employees to open this administratively so that we can serve you," said Chief Stuart Van Hooser, the county's retiring police chief, who described later phases that would shift patrol beats and add detectives and full command staff.

Officials said Precinct 6 is intended to reduce response times and improve community policing by focusing on a smaller geographic area. County public safety staff described a plan that, once fully implemented, would move beats now served by Precincts 1 and 4 into the new precinct and could require beat and precinct realignments countywide. County speakers said the county currently is divided into six precincts and that the area before realignment contained about 18 beats that would be reorganized so each relevant precinct would manage six beats.

County leaders also credited voters for approving SPLOST renewals that fund infrastructure projects including public safety and transportation. Speakers said population growth projections and county planning informed the decision to add a staffed precinct in East Cobb.

The opening included brief remarks by county officials and a public tour; sponsors listed at the event included Publix and Williamson Brothers. Officials invited residents to the tour and community reception following the ceremony.

No formal votes or county commission actions were recorded during the event; the program was an opening ceremony and operational briefing rather than a decision meeting.