New Austell chief to host 'State of the Police' address
Jan. 10—Austell's new police chief is inviting community members to a "State of the Police" address this month.
Chief Scott Hamilton, a former deputy chief in the Cobb County Police Department, will present the "vision and direction" of the department moving forward.
The event will be held at 7 p.m. on Jan. 19 at Austell First United Methodist Church, where face masks are encouraged. The church is located at 5705 Mulberry Street near the city's downtown.
Hamilton was hired in August and is the first Black police chief in Cobb County, per Mayor Ollie Clemons. He replaced longtime Chief Bob Starrett, who left amid a Georgia Bureau of Investigation probe into paperwork discrepancies in the department's K-9 unit, and interim chief Natalie Poulk.
