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ATLANTA – Strategic Security Corporation (SSC) has terminated its contract with Fulton County Jail, citing non-payment of services, leading to a walkout of security employees. The termination was announced on Thursday after SSC claimed a breach of contract due to an outstanding balance of over $1 million.
Walkout and Immediate Staffing Response
SSC contract employees received a text instructing them to abandon their posts, effective immediately, with SSC clocking them out at 2:15 p.m. The sudden departure caused concerns over safety at the jail, but SSC said they had no choice after multiple attempts to resolve the payment issue went unanswered.
In response, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the outstanding balance of $1,076,464.67 had accrued over three months due to budget shortfalls. Sheriff Pat Labat emphasized the severity of the situation but stated that the office acted quickly by offering conditional employment to nearly 50 SSC employees as full-time security specialists.
Read: Oakland City Council Faces $8M Security Guard Contract Dispute
Underfunding Issues Continue to Plague Fulton County Jail
Sheriff Labat criticized SSC for instructing employees to leave their posts during negotiations. Additional personnel from all divisions of the Sheriff’s Office were deployed to fill the gaps left by the walkout.
The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office has been struggling with underfunding issues since 2021 and has been actively addressing these challenges with county officials. While SSC remains open to further discussions, the Sheriff’s Office has taken steps to address the staffing crisis.
