Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch visits with area residents who came to an open house for the new south Hall precinct.
BRASELTON - A Hall County Sheriff's Office precinct is now open in the Braselton area.<br />
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Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said at an open house Friday afternoon the department needed a base of operation in the fast-growing south end of the county.<br />
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"In Hall County, two-thirds of our population lives south of Oakwood," said Couch. "With all the studies that have been conducted, we're going to have an additional 100,000 people by 2030. I think we'll have more than that because Hall County has a lot to offer."<br />
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He said having the office located on Cody Drive just off Spouts Springs Road gives the department easy access to the most populated areas.<br />
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"We can go in any direction from here and hopefully improve our services in this area."<br />
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Judging from the number of residents who attended the open house, the precinct is a welcome addition to the neighborhood.<br />
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Wayne Wright, who lives in the Sterling on the Lake community, said he recently participated in the Hall County Sheriff's Office Citizens Academy, so he has a new appreciation for what law enforcement does.<br />
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"This is really big and nice - looks like it's going to be very efficient," said Wright. "We have good police presence now because I see them patrolling our neighborhood now, and this may make it even better."<br />
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The 10,000 square-foot building is not new - it's a former daycare center. Couch announced plans to purchase the building for $700,000 in January. The money for the purchase came from SPLOST VI funds. <i>(See article linked below.)</i><br />
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Couch emphasized that no new equipment was purchased for the precinct, and he made no additions to his staff. <br />
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