Alpharetta considers its own jail to avoid Atlanta's Fulton County Jail

From left, City Councilman Dan Merkel discusses options for Alpharetta to fund its own jail with Mayor Jim Gilvin and Councilman John Hipes during an Aug. 25 meeting. (Jon Wilcox/Appen Media)

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — Paying for a jail in Alpharetta is about more than just the money, city officials say.

At its Aug. 25 meeting, the Alpharetta City Council discussed solutions to a pending Sept. 1 closure of the North Annex Jail, 2555 Old Milton Parkway. The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office plans to close the jail as part of a plan to address systemic operational concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.

For years, police in Alpharetta and nearby cities, like Johns Creek, Roswell and Milton, have relied on the jail to house prisoners.