Sandy Springs will buy ballistic shields for police officers, explore insurance options

The Sandy Springs Police Department will buy lightweight ballistic shields costing $64,000 to protect its officers using its Confiscated Assets fund.

The Sandy Springs City Council approved an increase to the fund to $100,000 to cover the cost of the shields and for any other small tools and equipment the police department may need by the end of the year.

Seized assets confiscated by law enforcement agencies through forfeitures are called confiscated assets, according to Awbrey’s report to the city council. Governmental agencies may use these funds to cover costs associated with the forfeiture process. Funds that remain are distributed by court order for use by law enforcement agencies in support of law enforcement-related activities.

City spends $9.7 million on health insurance

Sandy Springs will continue using health insurance from Cigna for its employees for another year as it looks to change to a self-insured model in the future.

The Sandy Springs City Council approved a $9.7 million contract award to Cigna for fiscal year 2026, based on the current count of employees and dependents. The council allocated $10.8 million for health benefits costs in its FY 2026 budget approved in June, Human Resources Director Elizabeth Awbrey said in her report during the Nov. 19 city council meeting.

Aetna, Anthem, Captive Resources, and Kaiser did not offer bids because of the city’s claims history. Insurance providers who submitted proposals ranged from 17 to 29 percent higher than 2025 rates.

Awbrey told the council that two feasibility assessments on self-funding insurance determined that Sandy Springs would need to set aside between $10.5 million and $12.6 million to transition to self-funded coverage.

“We are transitioning our dental plan to a self-insured model for 2026, allowing us to test our approach with minimal financial exposure,” Awbrey said.

Employee premiums will remain the same without an increase for the seventh consecutive year. Awbrey said that will help preserve the city’s competitiveness in attracting and retaining top talent. The contract covers 479 employee and their dependents.

“We’re spending a lot of money here, and if there’s a way to save money, still cover our employees and not make the insurance companies as rich as they currently are, I’m in favor of it. So please keep us informed,” City Council Member John Paulson said.

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