SWAT Out In Force For Exercise On Skyline In Brookhaven

BROOKHAVEN, GA -- SWAT teams swarmed the area around Skyland Drive on Wednesday in Brookhaven, but it wasn't because of a criminal situation, but rather a training exercise, the city said.

“The building is set to be demolished in a couple of weeks, so we can conduct exercises simulating real situations to ensure our regional law enforcement remains sharp,” Brookhaven Police Chief Gary Yandura said in a news release. (To get notified of more local news like this, click here to sign up for the BrookhavenPatch. Or find your Atlanta-area town here. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)

SWAT personnel from Dunwoody, Sandy Springs and Johns Creek also participated in the training at the former home of the state Department of Public Health, officials said.

At the end of July, the building will be torn down to make way for a new and improved Skyland Park, a $2.3 million development that used to belong to the DeKalb County Board of Education. The tract has been transferred to Brookhaven as part of an agreement reached in 2016.

“This is a win-win all the way around for the citizens of Brookhaven. The new John Lewis Elementary School will be built, and the city will have a new park. Plus we get to train police in SWAT exercises in a real building before it’s torn down,” said Brookhaven Mayor John Ernst. “I want to say a special thanks to the DeKalb Board of Education for their true partnership on this project.”

Image via Brookhaven PD / Facebook