Roswell's police dispatch system is getting a $2 million overhaul after the City Council voted unanimously Monday, Oct. 26, to accept a $1 million federal grant and match it with $1 million in city capital funds.

The grant, offered by the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance, will replace the Roswell Police Department's Computer Aided Dispatch and Records Management System, or CAD/RMS. The current system suffers from frequent outages and a lack of vendor support, Appen Media reported ahead of the vote. Police Major Noah Caplan presented the item to council.

The replacement will integrate voice, text and video capabilities into dispatch operations, according to Appen Media's reporting on the agenda.

Council also voted 5-0 to accept the findings of an independent ethics investigation into Councilwoman Christine Hall. The third-party attorney hired under the city's ethics policy found no violation of the ethics ordinance, according to a meeting recap by Roswell Connections. City Attorney Joseph Cusack presented the report.

Neither the complainant nor the nature of the allegation has been made public.

$227 million budget unveiled

The city unveiled a proposed $227 million budget for fiscal year 2027 during the Mayor's Report portion of the meeting. Finance Director Adam Novotney led the presentation. The proposal is $3.4 million less than the current year's $230.4 million spending plan. No formal action was taken.

The budget would fully fund the fifth and final year of the city's transition to a full-time Fire Department. It also maintains funding for Recreation and Parks operations and honors obligations for the Gateway and Big Creek Parkway projects, according to the Roswell Connections recap.

The budget process moves to a work session Friday, Nov. 6, at East Roswell Recreation Center. Residents can speak on the proposal at the Nov. 9 council meeting. A final vote is scheduled for Monday, Dec. 7.

Three grants approved

Beyond the dispatch system grant, council unanimously approved two other grant items:

  • A $10,000 Georgia Municipal Association Partners in Safety Grant for safety equipment purchases. Human Resources Director Tricia Redfern presented the item. No city match is required.
  • A Bulletproof Vest Partnership Grant worth up to $50,000, including city matching funds, to provide 45 vests to Roswell police officers.

Council also approved consent agenda items including Oct. 13 meeting minutes and an update to the Capital Improvement Element covering 2026 through 2031. The CIE lists public safety, transportation and parks projects eligible for impact fee funding.

The next Roswell City Council meeting is Monday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 38 Hill St.