GWINNETT COUNTY, GA — One metro Atlanta city is becoming the first to join a new multi-agency regional law enforcement team aimed at improving response efforts in high risk public safety situations.

Norcross is the first city to join the regional response team after the agreement was unanimously approved by the city council.

The plan calls for coordination between Norcross, Duluth, Lilburn and Suwanee police departments during certain high risk operations.

The special response team will act as a force multiplier during urgent situations such as serving certain warrants or responding to barricaded suspects.

Norcross Police Chief Bill Grogan said the department currently faces staffing limitations on its own.

“From a staffing standpoint, we only have a certain number of members on our team. If we combine it with the other three cities, we’ve got enough to do a house,” Grogan said. “We can do arrest warrants in hotels and that type of thing, but we couldn’t do a house for example.”

Officials in Duluth, Lilburn and Suwanee are expected to sign onto the agreement in the coming weeks. Those three cities already operate a combined special response team, which Grogan says will now expand with Norcross joining.

“Those other three cities currently operate with a combined special response team. If you’re thinking from a tiered level, you have a full SWAT team that Gwinnett County has, Georgia State Patrol. We’re kind of the first domino with the other three cities,” Grogan said.

Even with the expanded regional team, all departments will still be able to call on Gwinnett County’s SWAT team if needed.