Gwinnett County Government

The Gwinnett Police Department was honored with a National Association of Counties achievement award for the outstanding work of the Behavioral Health Unit. This unit is dedicated to assisting people facing mental health challenges or behavioral health issues. In 2023, the Behavioral Health Unit managed more than 4,800 service calls, including approximately 2,650 crisis calls and 675 follow-up calls. Additionally, members of the unit responded to 761 non-crisis service calls supporting Uniform Patrol. The unit successfully diverted 98 percent of cases away from jail, with only seven out of 20 individuals being incarcerated from a crisis.

Veterans and their families are invited to attend the County’s second annual Stand Down event on Saturday, October 26 from 10:00am to noon. No matter their status, veterans will receive food, health screenings, flu and COVID-19 vaccines, haircuts, and more. Register for the free event at GCGA.us/VeteransStandDown.

On this episode of Go Gwinnett! we’re shining a spotlight on Restoring Hearts for the Brave, a nonprofit providing free therapeutic resources for veterans, law enforcement officers, and their families. This space addresses mental health with a mission to break stigmas and offer critical support. District 3 Commissioner Jasper Watkins III highlights the importance of nonprofits like Restoring Hearts in ensuring that those who serve can heal on their own terms.

On the latest episode of Eye on Gwinnett, learn about the upcoming Stand Down Event for veterans, National Faith and Blue Weekend, Great Days of Service, and more!

On Tuesday, Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson, on behalf of the Board of Commissioners, recognized October 2024 as Fire Prevention Month in Gwinnett County. Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services is dedicated to reducing the occurrence of home fires and fire injuries through effective community risk reduction strategies. This year's theme, "Smoke alarms: make them work for you," serves to remind residents about the importance of recognizing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and implementing home fire escape planning and fire prevention measures. Maintaining properly functioning smoke alarms reduce death risks in reported home fires by 50 percent, and residents should be sure everyone in the home recognizes the sound of smoke alarms, how to respond, and ways to eliminate hazards that could cause a fire to start or grow.

In recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, we'd like to introduce Gabriel Phillips in our next Working for Gwinnett spotlight! Gabriel works as a cybersecurity analyst in the Department of Information Technology Services. He serves the County through continuous monitoring, watching for threats, responding to incidents, understanding phishing techniques, gathering data around threat intelligence, and forensic malware analysis. "My favorite part of my job is working with a great team," he shared. "My team holds me accountable for everything I do. We understand the importance of our job responsibilities and take them seriously." Gabriel works diligently to ensure our County is protected from cyber criminals and threat actors. Thank you for your service to Gwinnett County!

The Department of Planning and Development received a National Association of Counties achievement award for the Gwinnett Small Business Grant. This initiative aimed to assist small businesses in Gwinnett County that were negatively impacted by COVID-19. More than 1,400 applications were submitted, resulting in more than $7 million distributed to 1,075 small businesses in Gwinnett. The program was funded by two federal sources, the American Rescue Plan Act and the Community Development Block Grant Program. Feedback from grant recipients revealed that 93.1 percent rated their experience with the grant as a four or a five on a five-point scale.

Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson, on behalf of the Board of Commissioners, recently recognized September 15 to October 15 as Hispanic Latino Heritage Month in Gwinnett County. Our Hispanic and Latino residents make up more than 23 percent of Gwinnett's population. Each September and October, we honor the ways the Hispanic and Latino community contributes positively to the social, educational, political, civic, cultural, and economic well-being of Gwinnett County. Join us at Fiesta on the Plaza on Tuesday, October 15 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center Plaza. Also, be sure to check out our Hispanic Latino Heritage Month exhibit in the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center Atrium on the first floor!

Small business success is all about connections! In this special episode of Go Gwinnett, District 4 Commissioner Matthew Holtkamp shines a spotlight on the Greater Atlanta Associates in Networking — a small but mighty group of Gwinnett entrepreneurs supporting each other through strong relationships and big gains.

We’d like to extend a huge thank you to our first responders and operational support crews who’ve been out in the community preparing for and responding to the effects of Hurricane Helene. Helene brought strong rains and winds across our state leaving thousands without power, and our County crews continue to help clear roads and respond to emergency situations. Some roads are still closed and will be opened as soon as possible, but residents are advised to stay off the roads for non-essential travel. If you must leave your home, avoid walking or driving through moving water or flooded roadways. As of noon today: • Gwinnett Fire and Emergency Services responded to 123 weather-related incidents • Gwinnett Police Department responded to more than 40 incidents • Gwinnett Transportation crews worked to clear dozens of trees from roadways and restore traffic signals • Water Resources checked dams and flooded areas • Support Services kept our emergency vehicles fueled and ready to respond • Gwinnett Parks and Recreation had multiple teams responding as needed Your hard work and dedication haven’t gone unnoticed. Everyone, please stay safe.