Located in the South River region of unincorporated DeKalb County, on land owned by the City of Atlanta, the Public Safety Training Center will allow sworn officers, civilian responders, firefighters, EMS, and E-911 staff to train in a single space, in the metro-Atlanta area.

Because of its ecological importance to the region, this area is known as one of the “Lungs of Atlanta,” and the city is committed to its preservation through responsible stewardship. While the city owns hundreds of acres in the area, the training center will only occupy 85 acres. The South River region is part of a proposed plan to create a network of connected parks and green space unlike anything else in the metro area. Spearheaded by the Atlanta Regional Commission, the City of Atlanta supports the South River Forest Plan.

The land that the training center will occupy was previously home to the Atlanta Prison Farm, and the former Atlanta Police Academy. Prior to construction the space was filled with thousands of illegally dumped tires, mattresses, and other hazardous materials and debris.